


JourneyTale

by ViviGi72



Category: Undertale (Video Game)
Genre: Adult Asriel Dreemurr, Adult Frisk, Adventure, Adventure & Romance, Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Character Death, Depression, Drama & Romance, F/M, Female Frisk, Frisk is her own character, Gaster Sans, My own version of Gaster!Sans, Reader Is Not Frisk, Scientist W. D. Gaster
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-03-23
Updated: 2017-11-28
Packaged: 2018-10-09 17:00:48
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 6
Words: 29,475
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10416840
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ViviGi72/pseuds/ViviGi72
Summary: “In a world ruled by monster and humans, where the two races coexist in a delicate balance, a tragedy has caused two friends to run away, now they travel the world looking to bury a dangerous and painful past. One of them wants their happiness, the other wants to forget who he is. But fate rarely gives us exactly what we want, and one can only escape from their fate for so long, sometimes our actions catch up with us in the most unexpected way."





	1. On The Run

**Chapter One**

**On the run**

_In the beginning_

 

He reached out to them, taking both of their hands between his. The two girls smiled, imitating his gesture. The three of them stood in the small circle they've created, surrounded by the golden flowers.

-You realize Mom is gonna kill us if we keep stepping on the flowers-said the girl to his right, giving his brother a sarcastic smile.

\- And you realize Dad made this part of the Garden specifically so we wouldn't get in trouble with her-answered the little Prince with a smile of his own.

-Point-said the little girl, shrugging.

The boy’s eyes grew wide, his mouth open in surprise.

-Did you just…agree with me?

-I believe I did, why?-said the girl, still smiling.

-She hit her head when she got up this morning, maybe that’s it-said the other little girl, giggling when her sister snapped her head in her direction.

-Hey! That only happened because you keep pushing to the edge of the bed in your sleep!-she complained-I’m going to tell Mom I want my own room, that way I won’t have to wake up on the floor.-She added, letting go of their hands and crossing her own over her chest. Her sister pouted.

-You’re mean.

-You’re noisy.

The three children stared at each other for a few seconds before bursting into giggles. After a few minutes, the girl with brown eyes bends down to pick one of the golden flowers spread across the area. Its petals seem to shine under the sunlight. She stared at it with nostalgia.

-Remember when I used to hate this flower? But now, after everything that had happen...I think I’ve grown to like it, now every time I look at it, I don’t see their faces, I only see mom’s and dad’s- she said with a small smile. The other two kids looked at the flower and smiled as well.

-You won’t have to think about them anymore-said the little Prince-Nothing about that matters now, you’re here with us.

She agreed, they were here now, now and always.

-You promise?-the little girl asked, looking him in the eye, He smiled again, taking her hand.

-I promised.

The three children hold hands, sealing their promise, in a garden of golden flowers.

They would never be the same ever again.

 

/ / /

_14 Years ago_

The sound of footsteps was only muffled by the mud and dirt that covered the place. Two small silhouettes climbed the ladder to the second floor, always looking over their shoulders and never letting go of eachother’s hands. The house was in pretty bad shape. It has probably been abandoned for more than a decade or so. The glass of the windows were either cracked or completely destroyed, most of the furniture was torn to pieces, some of them lying here and there; there were broken bottles, pieces of paper, rotten food and other garbage spread across the floor. The smell didn’t help, either.

The second level wasn’t in much better shape than the first one; more garbage was spread across the ground, including glass, a suspiciously liquid substance and rotten food. This level had several bedrooms, including a bathroom. The two silhouettes crossed the large hallway in complete silence, as if they were afraid of awakening some sort of sleeping beast. A ray of moonlight came through a broken window, providing a least some form of light to the crushing darkness, revealing the two small children, one human, the other, a monster with soft, white fur, long ears and small fangs.

The kids reached one of the rooms on the left of the hallway and quickly shut the door behind them as quietly as possible.

The monster kid took a deep breath when he realized he was holding it and looked at his companion.

-What’s wrong? –He asked.

The little girl with brown, bright eyes looked at her friend with fear in her eyes.

\- Do you think someone lives here? What if they come back....what if someone sees us?- She said with trembling voice, her tiny little hands were shuddering, either because of the cold or fear, He didn’t know.

-Shh, it’s okay, if someone is here maybe…maybe we can ask them for help, maybe they can let us stay here for a while. Don’t be afraid-He said holding her hands between his, she was ice cold. The little boy looked around and guided the girl to the king size bed in the middle of the room; luckily the mattress and the sheets were still there.

-Here, climb on this, you’re freezing-he said helping her get into the bed. The mattress smelled awful and there were stains all over it, but it was the best they have had in the last couple of days since they woke up, since they had to run away. The boy shuddered, the memories of the last few weeks echoing in his head, tormenting his SOUL.

They had been happy, they had made a promise, they were supposed to be together but now, everything was gone….

 

He shook his head, pushing the dark feelings away. Now was not the time for that, he had a responsibility now, he needed to take care of Frisk. He motioned her to lay on the mattress before doing the same himself, and covered them both with the bed sheets. She continued to tremble, so he put his arms around her, keeping her close and she immediately hid her face in the base of his neck. They lay there, motionless, listening to the sounds of the night; in the boy’s case, listening to any sound that could mean danger.

But as time passed, a terrifying silence fell upon the house, becoming more crushing as the minutes went by, the boy felt the hair on the back of his neck standing up, his SOUL was beating fast in his chest and even though the night was incredibly cold, he was sweating. Well, maybe that was because of his fur.

 After what felt like hours, the girl broke the silence.

-Asriel?

-Yeah? – He answered the boy.

-Was it our fault? Did….did we caused this?-she asked, her voice was muffled due to her hiding her face in his neck, but he could sense her anguish. He bit his lip, hard, trying to stop the tears from falling. He had been asking himself that same question, but every time he did, his SOUL seemed to skip a bit, echoing painfully. The voice inside his head, inside his soul, screamed _no_ , so loud he had to close his eyes for a few seconds and wait for the headache to disappear. When it did, he looked at the girl beside him, she was staring at him with concern.

-I…don’t know Frisk.

Frisk’s eyes traveled to her friend’s chest, placing a tiny hand were his SOUL was. She felt its beating; it was different now, she couldn’t figure out exactly how, but it was, she could feel it, and it scared her.

-Are you okay? Ever since it happened you…you changed…

-Don’t think about that, it’s nothing to worry about, now we have to find a save place- Asriel interrupted her, he gave her a warm smile, patting her in the back.

But Frisk didn’t smile back, she looked into Asriel’s eyes; they used to be bright purple, but now, blood red eyes were staring back at her.

-And….what do we do then?-She asked.

Asriel looked at the window beside the bed, to the night sky, the moon had disappeared behind the clouds, leaving nothing but darkness, not even the stars would shine now. It was almost funny how fitting it was.

He hugged her tighter, resting his head against hers.

-I don’t know

/ / /

 

_The present_

-I think that would be a good place.

-Don't you think it's too public?

-No, by this time of day only homeless people pass by.

-Even more reason not to go. We've been through this before; we need to find a safer place.

-There are no safer places Ash; this is our best option for the time being. If we go deeper in the park, the trees will shield us, and if we need to, we can climb one of them.

He looked around; making sure no one was listening to them. Humans and a few monsters walked in every directions, most of them not paying attention to them in the slightest, except one or two, who would cast a look of curiosity.  That's right, access to this perimeter was strictly for a few people, mostly the rich and powerful who could afford it, and you had to have a special ID to being allowed to enter, according to what Asriel had heard say to a couple of people. ID they obviously didn't have. Why the police haven’t shown up yet was a mystery to him. But that kind of luck was meant to run out.

He took her hand, intertwining their fingers firmly.

-It’s still dangerous; we don’t know what kind of people had installed themselves there-He insisted, studying the sight before him.

The park was gigantic, a true wonder, the size of a small town. It's was supposed to be located in the center of the city, but it was so big they actually moved the construction site near the edge of the city, right by the coast. An enormous cliff and a ten meters fall separated the city from the ocean and a one meter tall, metal railing kept the citizens from approaching too much at the edge, surrounding the cliff from beginning to end. No wonder you needed a special permission to get in.

Right now, they were a few steps of said railing, sitting with their faces down on a wooden bench, watching carefully the tall, dense trees that made up the place. During the day, this park was a place of fun, calm, beauty and peace,

But, at night, things changed.

People disappear, the noise, the laughter disappear and all that was left was an eerie silence and a crushing darkness, an almost shocking contrast.

-It’s a good opportunity Ash.

-This place is surrounded by buildings, more people means more security and that means more chances of getting caught, we can’t afford that- The young  monster said. Out of the corner of his eye he saw two women pointing their heads in their directions, making disapproval gestures; it wouldn't be long before someone starts to call the park's security. They had to move.

-They’re beginning to suspect, we have to go.

She followed his gaze and a sad look appeared on her pale face. On the other site, the two women were walking towards two men in uniform, while casting careful glances at them, specifically at Asriel. Their luck had run out.

-We’re leaving-He said, standing up rather quickly, pulling her with him. They started to walk in the opposite direction of the officers, who had already begun to move towards them.

-Don’t look at them Frisk- Asriel said just when his partner tried to look behind her shoulder.

Frisk nodded and kept her eyes up front, though that didn't make her feel any better. People around them who notice their presence would move from their path almost immediately while wrinkling their nose. Well, it had been a few weeks since they were able to have a decent shower; it wasn't something they could afford at this moment. And besides that, it was hard not to notice a homeless monster and a girl walking down a park that was supposed to be private. They obviously had stumbled upon an important sector of the city, where the high class lived. Frisk felt suddenly very self-aware. She rolled up the sleeves of the oversized, old torn black sweater; she had found it when she and Asriel where exploring a nearby town, it was obvious that someone has used it and then discard it without much thought, so she took it for herself and it was the only piece of clothes she had wear in almost two months.

Frisk stumbled with a small rock, she lost her balance and was about to fall to the floor when Asriel pulled her back up with an instinctive movement of his hand wrapped around hers; Frisk cursed under her breath, the military boots she had found were proven to be a real problem, they were too big for her, making her stumble every few steps. However, it was all she had. Beggars can't be choosers.

They continued to walk as calmly as they could, trying to ignore the looks from the people. Frisk began to look around, concern growing fast in her chest.

-Ash they'll catch us, what do we do?

-We can cut across this area, we'll lose them between the trees and the crowd- Asriel said under his breath, his eyes, red as blood, looked around frantically, watching and studying; without warning he heard the voice of one of the park's keeper behind them.

-Hey, you two! Stop.

Damn it.

-When I tell you, you run like hell, don't stop and don't look back, I'll try to distract them. If things get ugly, we can fly.

\- You can’t fly Ash, you haven’t eat anything in days, your magic is not strong enough-Frisk replied.

The park's keepers had begun to walk faster, they were fifteen meters away. If they manage to arrest them, they'll be separated, Frisk would be sent to prison and Asriel...she didn't even want to think about it. She couldn't lose him too.

Abruptly, Frisk felt how a powerful sensation enveloped the air, sparks began to appear on her field of view, as well as little color waves, as if a rainbow just manifested right in front of them. She knew this sensation all too well.

Asriel was using his powers.

Frisk looked up to see his face. The young monster's eyes were glowing, sparkling with magic, the color waves and dots of light dancing across his face. The combinations gave him a pretty intimidating aspect, scary even.

Asriel looked to his left. A woman was standing a few meters away, buying an ice cream from a small ice cream truck, beside it, a human man with brown hair and dark glasses was selling fruits and vegetables from two enormous wooden barrels; there were apples, strawberry, pears, pineapple and melons in one barrel, and carrots, broccoli, zucchini and pepper in the other.

-This will do- the monster said.

Asriel quickened his pace, forcing Frisk to jog to keep up with him and create the distance they needed between them and the two human officers. Asriel closed his eyes, then open them again, his magic scattered in all directions, reaching the wooden barrels.

The guards were getting close.

As quiet as possible, the two barrels began shaking, causing the man with the dark glasses to jump in surprise, as well as few customers nearby; the containers continue to tremble, more violently as the seconds went by, fruits and vegetables alike falling to the ground.

Asriel looked over his shoulder.

-I’m sorry-he said.

The next thing Frisk heard was the strident sound of wood exploding, kindling and crushed fruit, followed immediately by dozens of people's screams. Apples and melons rolled on the ground while pieces of pineapple, broccoli and carrot flew over people’s head in all directions. In less than a second, chaos began to rise.

One of the guards trip over a watermelon, falling to the ground in a rather funny twirl, while his partner, not bothering to help, continue the pursuit only to crash hard against a woman who, for his misery, was carrying a baby in her arms. The impact almost causes the woman to drop the small infant and his mother wasted no time in start yelling at the men who was still trying to run pass her….

Perfect.

-Now!

He didn't even had to pull her by the arm. They both started running, straying from the main path towards the deepest part of the park, leaving the ocean behind. The world became blurry, a discordant mix of images and sounds, and yet, Frisk and Asriel moved through the crowd like shadows, avoiding people and obstacles like they weren't there. Frisk kept half of her attention on her peripheral vision, trying to feel if Asriel was still by her side, and she knew he was doing the same. They heard screaming, shouting and cursing, but they didn't look back.

They continued, going deeper and deeper; as they did the people around began to slowly decrease, along with the sunlight. Asriel noticed it first and in a quick movement he reached out his hand, Frisk understood, extending her own hand to him as they both slowed down, taking refuge behind a group of bushes. They took a big breath and looked around. The trees had become so tall and thick, with branches so large, the light could barely pass through, except for a few small sunbeams scattered here and there. The voices, the laughter and the screaming had stopped, swallowed by a rather eerie, sudden silence that was only broken by the sound of the small animals and the shaky breath of the two fugitives.

\- I don't think anybody followed us, that went better than the last time, I just  hope no one got hurt-Frisk said after a moment.

Her companion inspected their surroundings to make sure she was right. There where one or two passersby walking nearby, but nothing else. It seemed they had reached a more secluded area of the park. They could use that to their advantage.

-Let's stay close to the trees, they'll shield us. We can try and find shelter here-he said, Frisk nodded, taking the hand Asriel offered in an automatic gesture as they resume their walk.

They didn't have any clue of what or who they would find, but then again, they never had before. It was part of the fun.

 

/ / /

 

Darkness.

There was nothing but darkness, so dense it almost seemed alive, swallowing them up in an empty void. She couldn't even hear the sounds of any animal, as if the void had gobbled them up too. There weren't even light posts in this area, everything around them was in total silence, the only sounds were their clumsy steps and their irregular breaths.

She felt the telltale of magic in the air right before a small sparkle appeared and a small flame materialized itself in midair, casting its dim light around them. Frisk blinked a couple of times to adjust her vision and watched as Asriel kept the ball of fire in his left hand.

She instinctive pressed herself against his frame, she could feel his warmth, thick fur underneath the worn leather jacket he was wearing, it was a little too small for him, but he hasn't complain. Asriel took her hand in silence and resumed their walk. He had lost track of how many hours they had been walking aimlessly; the main path had disappeared long ago and now it felt like they had just wandered into an infinite maze. The trees were still incredible tall, with trunks so enormous Asriel was sure it'll be impossible to cut them down; he couldn't see the branches, it was too dark, but once in a while he could pick up the faint sound of leaves moving above them.

The ground beneath them was terribly troublesome to say the least; the tree roots rising over the earth were big enough to make them trip over every minute or so, there were giant rocks and branches all over the place and even the soil was unstable. Even with Asriel’s fire, it was impossible to avoid all the obstacles.

On top of that, Frisk was having more difficulty keeping the pace thanks to the leather boots she carried, making her trip over nothing every few moments. By this point, it had become an automatic gesture for Asriel to tighten the grip around her hand every time she missed a step.

-Ugg, I hate these boots!- He heard her mumbled under her breath **.**

-You can always take them off- He said, not bothering to hide his smile, nor the mockery in his tired voice.

-I'm seriously thinking about it, at least I wouldn't trip every five seconds-she said, annoyed.

-You can do it, but you'll hurt your feet- He said not taking his sight off the road, his eyes moving around carefully, looking for any sign of danger, or some kind of refuge they could use to spend the night, but there was nothing except trees, bushes and darkness. The goat monster looked at his feet, this place was nothing like the beautiful, carefully crafted place they have been in a few hours ago, Instead it appear to have become something out of a horror movie.

\- This isn't the park anymore, I don't think we'll encounter anyone, it's deserted- he said cautiously raising his hands a little more to cast more light around them. There was something about the place that wasn’t right, it make him nervous.-Maybe we should try and go back, I don’t like this.

He stopped and Frisk mimicked him.

\- We're too deep in this forest Ash, I don't think we can go back- she said looking around.

Asriel scanned the area, analyzing their options. They could very well turn back and try to make their way into the park, but with no directions and no clear idea where to go they would end up lost, well, even more than now; he could try fly over the trees and find a way out, but his magic was getting weaker by the second, he wouldn’t last long. Climbing the trees was not an option either as the branches were too far up.

They were running out of options.

The young monster looked at the palm of his hand, the fire was a small, weak floating flame that could barely shine enough light. A clear sign of weakness provoked by starvation; other symptoms were beginning to made themselves visible: Asriel was feeling nauseous, a slight headache and oh so tired, his limbs felt numb and his vision was getting blurry.

Contrary to humans, monsters experienced a faster deterioration when they spend too much time without food or water, and they've been roaming around the city for days now. If they continue like this he wouldn't last much longer before passing out....

But Asriel wasn't ready to give up, his entire body was begging him to stop, rest and get food but he couldn't, he couldn't stop, he wasn't going to just leave Frisk alone and unprotected in a place like this.

He would find a way, he knew he could, he had the one thing no one else had.

_“Keep moving forward”_

-Let’s keep moving then- he said with a renovated conviction, pressing forward and pulling Frisk to him, raising his arm to its full high to at least get a more clear vision on their steps as he speeded the pace. Frisk noticed the change in his voice, but she had also noticed how her partner weakened with every second that passed, It made her SOUL tighten with worry; this caused the girl to start altering her gaze between Asriel and the path and, of course, to stumble more often. Asriel didn't take long to figure out why.

-Frisk, I’m fine, stop worrying.

-You’re not, you're exhausted, and your magic is barely holding, maybe we should stop for a little bit and rest-she suggested as she managed to elude a fallen branch.

-I don’t want us to stay in this dark void for one second; I would rather stop when we find shelter.

-Ash, I think we should consider the possibility that there is no shelter here, you said it yourself, this is not part of the park, I can't even tell if we're still in the city anymore, and if we’re not, our only chance is to….

Frisk didn't have the chance to finish her sentence. The next thing Asriel heard was a loud cry, followed by Frisk's hand pulling him down; he tried to stabilize both of them, but suddenly the ground beneath them disappeared. Asriel felt himself fall into nothingness and then rolling down; trunk trees, small rocks and broken branches hit his body as he went down the hill. The flame in his hand died instantly, pulling them into the darkness once more. For what felt like infinite, Asriel couldn't discern left from right or up and down; then, as soon as it started, it ended. 

He hit the floor, hard, his back and left arm taking the worst part of the impact, the air was pulled out of him, making him gasp. His body was left in an unnatural position and he was forced to stay that way for a few seconds, as he tried to catch his breath; when he stopped seeing stars he carefully moved his arms around, rolling to his side using his hands and knees for support. He lifted his head and looked to his side, but Frisk wasn't there.

-Frisk? - He asked. There was no answer.

His SOUL jumped.

He stood up in a single movement, no longer worrying about his injuries or the pain; he looked around him frantically but there was nothing to see except darkness.

-Frisk!- He screamed this time, and it felt like his voice was swallowed by the emptiness. He walked a few steps before raising his hand; a small fireball appeared once again, smaller than ever before, He growled under his breath before raising his other hand, he closed his eyes and, with every bit of strength he had, summoned a small group of silver stars that rose above his head, doing circles around him and casting a dim light. It was far from being enough, but it'll have to do; the goat monster felt a sharp pain in his mind, but he paid no attention to it, moving as quickly as he could between the trees, calling his friend's name over and over.

 


	2. Deep in the Woods

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Starving and weak, Frisk and Asriel find themselves lost in an unknown forest. But maybe a mysterious cabin in the middle of the woods is the answer to their desperate prayers, that is, if is not already taken.”

 

Frisk let out a sharp cry, she held onto the leaves and the dirt around her as she struggled to breathe; the fall had punched the air out of her lungs and now she was there, on the ground; she layed on her back, arms and legs spread to both sides; she blinked a couple of times to clear her vision before trying to move, she then carefully pulled herself back up but when she tried to walk, she felt a sudden pain in her left knee. Looking down, blinking several times to try and see something in the dark, she noticed a black spot on her leg. Reaching out with her hand, Frisk carefully touched it. The pain immediately hit, she quickly pulled her hand away, not before noticing the blood on it.

 _Oh great_ She thought; this would surely make things a little more difficult. She tried to take another step but the pain forced her to stop, her leg trembling under her weight. She almost lost her balance but caught herself, holding on to a nearby tree. Frisk looked around, trying to locate Asriel from her position.

-Ash?-she called, nobody answered, she tried again, raising her voice.

But nobody came.

Fear began to slowly crawl on her back; her heart was pounding faster in her chest as she realized her situation, ¿Where was Ash? ¿Was she alone again? ¿How was she going to find him in this darkness?

 _No, he has to be nearby; I just have to look_ she thought, refusing to let panic get to her. She examined the injury on her knee, It was deep, and made her entire leg burn with pain. She would have to patch that up to prevent an infection, later; for now, she needed to walk. She closed her eyes tightly, focusing on the beating of her SOUL.

Suddenly, the beating increased, she could hear it booming in her ear.

A tickling sensation ran over her body, it started within her SOUL and ran across every single part of her like a river; in a matter of seconds, the pain on her knee diminished, the bruises on her arms and legs began to feel numb. Frisk stretched, a light red glow could be seen on her chest. The tingling in her body gradually intensified, more and more until the girl felt her entire body was on fire.....And then, it decreased, little by little, until it disappeared, leaving the girl feeling the echo of a known sensation.

Frisk took a hesitant step, she was still bleeding, she could feel it, but now she didn't feel any pain.

 That was more than enough.

Frisk stretched her entire body, as if she just woke up from a long dream and resumed her walk, Asriel had to be nearby.

She put her arms in front of her to avoid crashing against those gigantic trees. She didn't reach five steps when a crackling noise made her stop mid stride, the noise was coming from behind her. Without thinking, Frisk clenched her fists and prepared for who or whatever was there. The cracking noise began to feel closer, and closer....reaching her feet. Frisk frowned and turned around. There was nothing there, but out of the corner of her eye, she could detect two squirrels running up a tree, one was carrying nuts and acorn. The two squirrels hurried up, but one of them dropped an acorn, it rolled on the ground past her until Frisk heard it stop a few meters away. Frisk crouched, blinking in the dark to try and locate the small fruit. Instead, her hands found something solid, large and glassy.

Oh?

The air was caught up in her throat as she examined the empty bottle in her hands. A glass bottle, in the middle of the forest. If it was thrown away recently it could mean the people were still around, which meant they were not alone in that place....

-Frisk!

The scream startled her; she spun around so fast she was sure she pulled something.

-Ash?!-she screamed back, the bottle clutched in her hands, she tried to look beyond the crushing blackness surrounding her until something caught her eye. A small, barely visible light, floating in midair, it was so faint she almost missed it; as she look, it began to grow, after a few seconds, Frisk could see a clear group of shining stars dancing around a tall figure.

-Ash!

The bottle was dropped carelessly to the ground as the girl ran towards the monster, who was already waiting for her with an open arm.

Asriel wrapped up Frisk's waist in a tight embrace, a wave of relief washed over him, he looked down at her small frame with a smile for a moment and let out a tired sigh…. before poking Frisk's cheek with his fingers.

\- Hey! - She complained.

\- Why do you always scare me like this eh? - He asked continuing to poke her, she let out an annoying sound, trying to get away from him, but he kept her in place with an iron grip.

-It wasn’t my fault, I couldn’t see anything! - She protested trying to hold her laugh, she kept struggling to move but she already knew it was a lost battle. Her strength was less to nothing compared to Ash's brutal force-. ¡Ash let go!

-Nope -Was his simply answer before he started to tickle her.

That bastard, he knew how damn ticklish she was. Frisk cried out, unable to restrain herself from laughing now.

Asriel allowed himself a small grin, he knew he would have to pay for this later but honestly, it was worth it.....Abruptly, his hand stopped; a sharp, sudden pain exploded in his head while an equally powerful nausea forced him to close his eyes and cry out in pain, he let go of Frisk and stumbled to the ground, falling on his knees.

-Ash! – Frisk crouched beside him, hands on his shoulders and concern on her face, - What’s wrong? Are you ok?

-Yes I…..I’m fine it’s just… ahh! A small headache- He answered, clutching his head between his hands, he tried to block the pain but it was no use, he felt like passing out.

\- You're definition of "fine" is wonderful you know that?- Frisk said sarcastically, kneeling beside him and helping him up carefully- You're using your magic too much, you're going to collapse if you keep doing this!

\- I had to find you- Asriel mumbled under his breath. Frisk heard it, her heart sinking with regret, she should have been more careful.

She help him walk to a nearby tree where he rest his back against it, breathing sharply; his entire body felt heavy and his head was spinning, his claws clung onto the tree trunk in an attempt to stop him to fall back to the floor, he stayed there, eyes closed, unmoving, waiting for the dizziness and nausea to diminish. Frisk pursed her lips.

 They had been homeless before, hell, almost their entire lives, they've made a living out of it; walking and wandering around different places wasn't a new thing to them, but never before had it been this hard. They usually could find a decent place to rest within a day or so, sometimes Asriel was forced to steal food using his magic when they couldn't get anything to eat, however in most occasions they managed by taking small jobs, nothing major or too important but it served the purpose and it was fun when you met the right people. But right now, everything seemed to take a turn for the worst. Frisk didn't know what to do; she too, was beginning to experience nausea, dizziness and weakness, her mouth felt dry, her lips cracked and her short brown hair felt greasy, it was extremely uncomfortable. If they didn't do anything soon….

She shook her head, forcing herself not to indulge in those thoughts.

_Come on, we'll make it out this, it's gonna be ok, always. You have to stay strong._

_Stay determined._

The mantra repeated herself in her mind as she breathed in; the action calmed her nerves and cleared her head. That's when she remembered the bottle.

\- Ash listen, I think there are people in these woods, I don't know if they're still here but, maybe…- Frisk walked around the tree trunk as she talked, ignoring Ash’s plea to stay close- maybe if we keep going we can find…

Frisk reached the other side of the trunk, there were just more trees, bushes and blackness...along with something else. In the distance, almost invisible at first glance, the girl spotted something; she blinked a couple of times to make sure she wasn't hallucinating; no, her eyes weren’t deceiving her, it was there, almost invisible, a bright dot glowing in the distance, a few meters above the ground. Frisk blinked a third time just because she couldn't believe it. Her heart jumped in her chest as she turned around on a single move and ran towards Asriel.

-Ash, Ash! Look!– She called, gently touching the monster's arm; Asriel opened his eyes very slowly, like she had just woken him from a deep slumber.

-I think I found something, I see a light, between those trees over there, I don’t know what it is but we have to investigate, this could be our chance- Frisk stammered; Asriel blinked a couple of times, as if trying to comprehend her words, his gaze moved past her in the direction she was pointing at -. I can go check it, you stay here, I don’t want you to pass out- said the girl with conviction, but just as she was pulling away from him, he took a hold of her hand.

-Frisk…don’t, you can’t go alone it’s… too dangerous- Asriel mumbled, fear in his voice.

\- I’ll be alright Ash, is not that far away, if something doesn't feel right, I'll come back immediately, you know that- Frisk assured, but Asriel was having none of it; he shook his head firmly and with visible effort, pulled himself away from the tree, he almost tripped, but managed to keep his balance.

\- I'm not leaving you alone again Frisk, especially not in the darkness in the middle of nowhere for someone to…-. Asriel stopped himself in an incredulous and almost desperate tone, his crimson eyes betraying what he was thinking.

But Frisk saw his expression and immediately knew. The memories flowed in her mind too.

The dark alley.

A hand around her throat

Blood

Bodies lying on the ground.

Ash's desperate cry…

 She pushed the images away on the spot, to the darkest corners of her subconscious.

-That’s not gonna happen again Ash, is not, I promise- She said firmly.

\- I didn't….I didn't wanted to remind you of that, I’m sorry- Asriel apologized.

-Don't be, it happened years ago, I don't let it bother me anymore. And that’s why I tell you to stay here while I go investigate. It’s gonna be ok.

Frisk's determined look met Asriel’s worried one, the girl tried to appear resilient and put on an annoying face but what she got was a half tired smile from the monster. Deep down she knew, she knew he wasn't gonna stay even if he was quite literally dying, they both knew it.

So, accepting defeat, Frisk sighed and smiled back.

\- That's not fair Ash.

-I know, I just like it when you put on that face- Asriel said starting to walk toward the direction Frisk had pointed out, his steps where a little clumsy and forced but he did his best to pretend.

-You don't have to fake it for me- Frisk said under her breath, her eyes focusing on Ash’s small limping and how his hand clutched his stomach.

\- It's nothing; I can deal with it- He said firmly, putting and to the conversation.

Frisk just sighed and began walking ahead, guiding them through the darkness towards the glowing dot. Giant rocks, bushes and tree roots continued to make their walk harder that it should be, but neither of them said anything.

Step after step they came closer to the mysterious source of light; as they approach, it became clear the glow came from a closed window of a large wood house. The construction stood alone in the middle of a forest clearing; it looked old and empty, and in the dark night, menacing and nightmarish, it's form looming over them. Frisk spotted a neglected porch and a broken looking wooden door, the ceiling had small holes in it as far as she could see, and nothing was coming from the tall chimney. However there was still that light coming from the side window, it flickered from time to time and provided the only source of brightness.

\- I'll go check- said Frisk walking ahead, but in a second, a hand wrapped around her arm and stopped her in her tracks. She looked back at the goat monster, visibly confused.

-Ash.

-I’ll go.

-There’s no need, I can do it.

\- It’s too dangerous; we don't know who’s in there.

\- That's exactly why I should go first, you're too tired.

-And so are you- Asriel pulled her back to where he stood, gently caressing her arm.- I'll be alright, I can still use my magic, but I need you to stay here.

Frisk wanted to protest, the last thing she wanted was Asriel wandering around in the dark alone.

-But Ash…

Her words were lost in her mouth when the tall monster bend over and lay a warm, tender kiss on her forehead, her eyes closed by instinct. He stayed there, with his forehead against hers.

\- I promise I'll be ok, wait for me here, hide behind one of these trees and stay close to the light- He pleaded in a low voice she knew all too well, one that send a warm sensation through her body, and even though she still didn't agree, Frisk dropped her shoulders and nodded.

-Alright- She answered her voice merely a whisper.

Only after she responded he stepped away, giving a final squeeze of her arm before turning to the house, his steps deliberately slow and cautious as he walked towards the illuminated window.

Frisk watched him, her hands around herself in a protective way as she looked around. The forest was silent, there was no wind, no small animals, nothing at all, there was just this crushing, earie silent hovering over them. A cold shiver ran through her body, maybe because of the cold, maybe because of the uneasy feeling, either way Frisk continued to glance around the clearing, her eyes focused on Asriel and she suddenly felt exposed; a gust of freezing wind hit her as she searched for cover in the nearest tree.

 

Asriel carefully measured his steps as he came closer and closer to the seemingly empty residence, paying close attention to any foreign movement. His ears could detect the subtle creak of the broken door, the cry of the wind sleeping through the small cracks on the walls; his entire face wrinkled when the combination of rotten wood, food leftovers, oil and human waste hit his sensitive nose, making his nausea even more insufferable, he had to stop for a second and swallow the bile in his throat. He came closer to the side window from when the flickering light escaped and pressed his back against the wall, the water falling from the roof and the dripping wood soaking his jacket. Maybe it had rained early in the day.

Moving ever so slowly, Asriel tilted his head and peek inside. The source of light they had spotted a few moments ago belonged to an old, rusty oil lamp resting on top of a wooden box, said box was located in a far corner of what appeared to be the living room; surrounding it Asriel saw crumpled paper, pieces of furniture, food, a ramshackle sofa dumped in the other side of the room; a small wooden table was turned upside down and a nearby chair was missing a leg.

The more Asriel looked, the bigger the mess. The paint was beginning to fall from the walls, leaving it naked and with a foul smell; and the ceiling wasn’t doing any better. Everything in that place seemed to indicate no one had live there for years, and yet that small oil lamp was the only thing that stated otherwise.

And it was the best thing they had seen in weeks.

They could deal with the garbage; he could get used to the smell if he concentrated hard enough, those were just little details to deal with if it meant Frisk could have a roof over her head tonight. He would have to investigate the other rooms but so far everything seemed good. Making up his mind after listening one last time to make sure no one was near, Asriel stepped away from the window and made his way to the porch, he turned around to let Frisk know she could come.

Except Frisk wasn't there.

The oil lamp's small glow casted a small light over one of the nearby trees, where he had told Frisk to stay, but the girl was nowhere to be seen. With a hole in his stomach, Asriel summoned a ball of fire in his right hand, ignoring the stinging pain in his head.

-Frisk?!- He called, not bothering to be quiet, he looked around with growing despair and was about to start running again when a loud "crack", and the calling of his name made him turn around so fast a part of him was sure he hurt his back, not that he cared.

Frisk was there, standing in front of the door with what appeared to be a large wire on her hands, her pale face covered in dust and dirt, staring at him with a questioning expression. Asriel just stood there, an almost shocking expression on his face, before running beside her in a split second. Frisk felt two strong hands grab her shoulders before her friend’s concerning and annoyed face appeared inches away from hers. Despite not being the first time he did this, the gesture was so sudden it made her jump.

-Goddammit Frisk I told you to stay hidden! -He stammered a little louder than he intended to.

\- The door is closed, I was trying to open it- She answered, rising the wire in her hands like it was obvious; Asriel looked at the small object like he didn't recognize it and Frisk took advantage of his distraction to pull away from his grasp and resume her task. Asriel could only sign. Of course she wasn't gonna listen to him, she never had before no matter how many time he'd beg her.

_“What did you expect? It’s cold here”_

Asriel blinked, ignoring the whisper in his head and instead using his fire magic to light up the doorknob Frisk was working on; she gave him a silent smile before focusing on her work. She wouldn't say it, but the pain on her knee was gradually coming back, the bleeding had stopped but the girl could feel the injury pulsing, along with all her others bruises. She didn't want to waste any more time, they needed this cabin, now.

A few minutes passed, Frisk carefully playing with the lock while Asriel keep an eye on their surroundings. Suddenly, a faint "click", Frisk stopped, Asriel turned to her. She pulled the wire out of the door lock with care, wrapping the nob with her hand and before Asriel could say anything she opened the door with resolution. A loud squeaky noise filled the dimly lit room as the pair walked inside, the living room was quiet bigger than it appeared on the outside; a pair of large windows facing the opposite side, one of them with a shattered glass; there were two more chairs next to the one with the broken leg, dry leaves spread here and there, empty bottles, some of them smashed and more crumpled paper. Frisk walked towards the wooden box, picking up the lamp and using its light to have a better look at the place; she spotted a dark hallway entrance, but as she began to made her way in its direction, Asriel’s hand once again stopped from getting too close.

-Frisk- He whispered with caution, he silently asked her to hand him over the lamp, took her now free hand and guided her behind him.

With the blinking light, the two of them proceed to explore the rest of the abandoned building. The hallway wasn't very long but it was wide enough to allow them to walk comfortably side by side; Frisk saw the first room to her right, door wide open and immediately pulled Asriel’s hand towards her, the monster did not opposed. The second the dim light revealed the room to them, Frisk let out an almost hurt gasp.

-My God…Ash, look!

Oh Ash was looking alright, looking at the organized, well stocked pile of food lying a few meters away...in the corner of the room.

-No fucking way- His voice came out raspy and broken, as it out of nowhere his vocal cords had forgotten how to function.

Frisk's legs trembled as she practically throw herself in front of the pile, hurting her already damaged knee in the process, but she couldn't care less, right now all of her attention was focusing on one thing. Asriel joined her in a single step, almost discarding the oil lamp away. There were bags of potato chips, protein bars, chocolate, a few apples lying around, a couple of cans of peanut butter and at least a dozen water bottles, right there in front of them. Abruptly, Frisk felt weaker than ever before, her empty stomach let out a painful growl, her mouth felt drier and her eyes went blurry from the tears. She was so hungry. She raised a shaky arm and grabbed a water bottle, as if she was afraid that if she touched it would disappear, but her finger wrapped around the plastic firmly. The girl gazed at her friend and found the same desperate look her own face was probably showing. That was the only proof they needed.

In the blink of an eye, Frisk opened the bottle, drank, and drank, emptying the whole thing in seconds before tossed it away and grabbing a protein bar; Asriel teared open the nearest bag of chips with his claws and practically swallow them whole, small pieces getting stuck in his fur; he then proceed to take another one, repeating the process a few times. Frisk finished her second protein bar in a short moment, choking on it a few times but the immense relief and satisfaction her entire being was feeling made it worth; funny enough, she never liked these kinds of food too much before, but right now, it was like tasting heaven. She ate the remained crumbs while Asriel took a bottle and drank all the water in seconds. The monster let out a loud sigh before collapsing next to her, arms and legs wide open; Frisk joined him after taking a chocolate bar from the pile, she opened it, split in half, and gave one to him.

They nibble on the candy in silence; Frisk curled against him, resting her head on his chest and Asriel wrapping his arm around her.

Frisk savored the dark sweet melting in her mouth and closed her eyes, the taste bringing back forgotten memories. It had been awhile since they had eaten chocolate.

-Ash?

-Yeah?

\- I didn't thought it well but all this food, being in this kind of place and in this room…could be expired or poisoned - Frisk said calmly, like she was commenting on the most trivial thing in the world. A moment of silence passed and Asriel let out an amusing laugh that got lauder and lauder by the second; Frisk smiled and curled closer to him. When Asriel managed to calm down he sighed and took another bite of his half of the chocolate.

-Well, at least we wouldn’t die with an empty stomach, and after that we can just keep eating- He answered, caressing Frisk's hair with his fingers, she nodded, knowing what he meant. Her free hand moved to her chest, where her SOUL was pounding at a steady rhythm. She hadn't had to use it in almost a year, thankfully; it was a really painful process, one she could never get used to. The nightmares still plagued her mind.

Asriel finish the candy and lifted his hand, palm open to the ceiling; sparkles began to appear, dancing around his hand and a bright, big fireball materialized, dancing and twinkling, his warm reaching out to Frisk and its light covering the entire room like a small sun. Asriel smiled to himself as he sent the fireball to the ceiling, where it stayed, floating.

Frisk smiled again, she used her elbow for support as she came closer to Asriel and gave him a soft kiss on the corner of his lips.

-I knew we could make it-she whispered.

His eyes meet hers as he kept playing with her hair, his fingers brushed against her cheek when he lifted his head and placed a kiss on her lips. Frisk let her eyes close, a familiar rush of electricity running through her body. She lowered herself a little bit as the kiss deepened, her mouth slowly moving against his in a known dance, she felt his nose brushing her own and her heart jumped with satisfaction. Their tongues met a few times before Asriel broke the kiss with a final smile. He got up and Frisk followed him.

The two of them began to inspect the rest of the room, Asriel examining the remaining of the pile of food and Frisk walking around in search for anything curious or useful. Asriel kneeled down, picking a can of peanut butter and noticed the lack of dust covering it.

\- This was put here recently, there is barely any dust or rust on these cans- He said picking up a water bottle, taking a closer look-. Whoever did this might still be around- He added with a warning tone in his voice.

Frisk thought about what her friend just said, she picked up a small crumpled piece of paper and unfolded it, it was blank.

\- If they come back after we leave, I'll leave them a thank you note- She affirmed, putting the paper on her pocket. Asriel didn't say anything; he stared at the bottle in his hand, a deep frown on his face. Frisk knew exactly what that gesture meant.

\- They might not be bad people Asriel, we can't draw that conclusion just yet, I'm sure If they listen to us we can explain why we ate the food.

\- Sure, if they want to listen- He said on a dark tone, not talking to Frisk in particular; he stood up, leaving the items in their original place while he summoned another fireball-. I'm gonna check the other rooms and make sure there's nothing dangerous-. He stated walking to the door.

-And I'll stay here, out of danger to make sure you don't get a heart attack- Frisk joked, still looking around the place; she turned to him, her tongue out and a not-so-subtle naughty look, then laughed at Ariel’s not amused expression, but quickly, his face changed, as if he just remembered something. He walked to Frisk and without a word, he kneeled down and put his free hand in front of Frisk's injured knee.

-Ash? What are you…?

Frisk was interrupted by the so familiar feeling of magic around her. A green glow manifested from Ariel’s open palm, its warm energy surrounding the still open wound; Frisk could feel it beating, almost resonating with Ariel’s magic. The green aura enveloped the injury and immediately Frisk felt the pain diminish. She let out a sigh she didn't notice she was holding, feeling relief. But how did he know? Feeling her confusion, the goat monster smiled fondly.

-You think I didn't notice this earlier? - He asked, his eyes still on her knee. Frisk pursed her lips, she could already feel the warmth rushing up her face, making her feel like she was on fire.

-I…I didn't want you to worry about that- she mumbled.

-You know I don't mind, and I can use my magic now- He answered.

The healing aura continued to dance around Frisk's knee until the injury was closed and all that was left was a small bruise- It'll take a little while before it heals completely but this should help....you didn't feel any pain?-. He asked, looking up at her.

-No, not until a few minutes ago after....after I made it _disappear_ \- Frisk's words became a barely audible whisper when she finished the sentence, she looked to the side, not making eye contact. He stood up, rubbing her shoulder affectionately.

-You used it?

-Yes, I couldn't walk because the wound was too deep and the pain wouldn't let me either, so I use it to…numb the feeling, but it also allowed me to keep walking despite the gravity of it. I think I’m finally learning to control it.

-I see, but that’s good news Frisk, you don’t need to hide it.

\- I know it's just…..It scares me; I'm still not entirely sure what else I can do with it, and I'm scare to find out. I know it's stupid but sometimes I can't help it- Said Frisk, insecurity filling her voice.

\- Whatever happens, if it happens, we'll figure out together, don’t worry- Asriel assured her with a smile, one that she returned-. I'll be right back, you rest- He left the room, the fireball following him closely.

Frisk tilted her head to the side and looked around her. Now that she had food in her stomach, she didn't feel particularly tired, nor she wanted to just sit there and do nothing; so she returned to the living room with the oil lamp in her hand, doing an inspection of her own.

The rest of the house consisted in two more rooms and one bathroom, all of them almost as equally trashed as the next one but there were still a few surprises. Asriel founded an almost untouched mattress in the room located at the very end of the hallway,(what he assumed was the master room) surrounded by empty bottles, a torned up pillow, and an empty closet with one of its doors hanging from the side, not to mention all the dust and rubble covering the floor. The other room looked almost identical, except it was smaller and bottles filled with alcohol were carefully put together in a corner. The crystal window was broken, the glass scattered across the place. There were also a few large, thick branches lying close to the window, along with a broken table and an almost intact sofa. The bathroom was quite large in comparison with the rest of the cabin. It had no curtain and the tub was filled with a dark, smelly gross liquid neither Asriel nor Frisk dared to touch. The toilet too was filled with the gross looking liquid but the tank wasn't working, but the sink seemed intact; the mirror above it was broken but it was still standing.

After they explored their temporary home as much as they could, the two of them returned to the master room; Asriel closed the window as best as he could, since the window frame would get stuck every time he tried to move it, while Frisk curled up on the mattress. Once Asriel returned to her side, he sat against the wall and automatically wrapped his arms around her, pulling her close to his chest; the action touched a memory in Frisk's mind, a long forgotten moment bury in her subconscious.

 

_…He motioned her to lay on the mattress before doing the same himself, and covered them both with the bed sheets. She continued to tremble, so he put his arms around her, keeping her close and she immediately hid her face in the base of his neck. They lay there, motionless, listening to the sounds of the night; in the boy’s case, listening to any sound that could mean danger…._

 

Frisk closed her eyes, pushing the memory to the back of her mind and rested her face on Ariel’s chest, feeling his soft fur through the fabric of his shirt and the rapid beating of his SOUL, it told her his senses were on high alert, looking for any sign of danger; while his sharp breathing told her he was also nervous, but was trying to hide it, for her sake. Frisk moved her arm around Ariel’s waist, tightly holding to him, quietly telling him it was ok, they were save, they were alright. The goat monster felt it and accepted her gesture, relaxing just a little bit, but with his eyes still fixed on the window and the closed door, until eventually sleep took over.

/ / /

 

The morning came faster than Frisk expected it; she felt the sunlight on her face, forcing her to open her eyes, which she did with idleness. The sun rays pierced through the window, she could see dust particles floating in the light like fireflies. She blinked slowly a couple of times, she felt heavy, her muscles contracted. The mattress really wasn't the best after all.

She moved to her side with closed eyes and reached out, hoping to find Ash's sleeping frame beside her, but her hand just meet an empty space. Her eyes snapped open, she rose from the bed, looking around with worry, the room was empty and the door open.

-Ash? - She called.

She heard footsteps coming from the far end of the hallway; few seconds later, Asriel appeared walking from the other room, carrying some of the food they had found the night before in one hand while eating an apple with the other one, he approached the bed and sit beside her.

\- Here, take this; I don't think they'll be bothered if we eat a little more of their stack- He said offering her a protein bar, an apple and a water bottle; Frisk accepted the food with gratitude and began nibble on the red fruit. They stayed in silence for a few moments, the only sound around them being their chewing and the singing birds outside. When Asriel discarded the apple core to the side, he got up and walked to the window.

\- You think we should explore the forest now that it's morning? - Frisk asked, knowing his thoughts.

-Yes, maybe we can find something else to eat, or a road that leads somewhere, someplace that isn't falling apart- Asriel answered looking at the hole on the ceiling above them. Frisk stared at it too.

-You know, I wouldn't mind if it rained, it has been so hot lately and we haven't got a chance to have a bath- Frisk confessed with nostalgia. That was the only thing she truly missed about having a stable home. What she wouldn't give for a nice bubble bath on a warm tub.

Asriel turned to her.

_“Show her what you found outside, she'll love it”_

He smiled, internally thanking the voice as he offered his hand to Frisk. She looked at him with a frown.

-Come, let me show you something.

He guided her outside, to the back of the house. There, on the ground, was a water tap just tall enough to reach Frisk's head, it looked rusty and unstable, but when Asriel turned the tap, it made a bubbling sound, then water began to fall, hitting the ground and soaking her boots.

-What?!-Frisk exclaimed and extended her open palm, the water was incredible cold, but it looked crystal clean. Without another thought, she put both hands beneath the streaming water and washed her face, the cold felt like millions of small needles sticking into her skin, but the sensation was somewhat invigorating. She repeated the action several times, washing all the dirt and dust from her face and neck. It felt wonderful.

\- I found it a few hours ago, the sink and the tube are stuck, but this works perfectly- Asriel commented with a fond smile, watching Frisk play with the water. She turned to him.

\- Have you used it yet?

-No

-Well, I want to, it’s too hot here- Frisk say with a joyous tone before starting unbuttoning her sweater. Asriel laughed softly: Frisk loved water; she loved to stand in the rain, jumping on puddles or dancing; she could swim in a lake for hours to no end or spend an entire day in a bathtub if she was giving the chance. Asriel had long giving up on finding the reason behind her obsession; after all, water didn't get along with his thick fur that well. His laugh disappeared when his eyes meet her naked back, she was wearing a black bra underneath the sweater... and now Asriel could see the scars.

Running across her back, fine lines forming irregular patterns on her pale skin, some older, some bigger than others, forming a twisted map.

Asriel watched them, knowing the story behind each mark; Frisk had been only a child when she had decided to tell him, telling the horrific story of a past life that still haunted her. He came closer to her as she reached to unbutton her bra, stopping inches away.

-I'm going to look around the forest, maybe I can find us some food, you can come with me or stay here if you want- He mumbled, his fingers brushing against her soft skin. If he had to be completely honest, he didn't want to leave her alone, but he wasn't gonna forced her either.

 Frisk turned to him, one arm covering her shoulder and confusion mixed in her eyes.

-You have to leave now? - She asked sounding disappointed.

-I want to make the most of the time now that it's day….well, unless you want me to stay a bit longer- He added playfully. His voice sent a shiver down Frisk's spine, her face turning a deep red; she immediately hit Asriel in the chest (It felt like hitting a concrete wall ) while looking down, trying to hide her smile.

-I….I do want to, but… this is more important- She stumbled on her words.

Ash smirked, cupping her face with his right hand and kissing her forehead.

\- I'll be back soon, please be careful here.

-I know, I’ll be back inside as soon as I'm done- Frisk answered.

Asriel nodded and stepped away, his back turn to her. All of a sudden, something began to appear on the monster's back, shifting around him; before long, Frisk watched how two enormous, beautiful wings materialized on either side of his back, they looked like the wings of a bat, but bigger and with astonishing colors moving across them, with sparkling dots, like stars, dancing as well, it was like seeing the universe. Asriel shook them twice before taking off with a jump and his frame disappeared in the trees.

 

Frisk watched him leave for a moment and when she could no longer spot him, she turned to face the running water and made sure no one was around before continue to undress, folding her clothes carefully and putting it on the ground, except the heart locket that hanged from a golden chain around her neck, that, she never took it off and was always hidden underneath her clothes.

 The icy water felt marvelous on her skin, and even though she wished she could have a soap with her, and that it felt pretty weird to just take a shower right in the open, she enjoyed her bath nonetheless. Once she finished, she closed the tap and looked around, arms covering her bare body.

\- I guess I won't find a towel nearby- She mumbled to herself. She gazed at her belongings on the ground and then at the cabin, she was just a quick run away from the door, no big deal right? She picked up her clothing, carefully trying not to drench it, looked around again, suddenly feeling terribly exposed, took a deep breath and ran. She almost fell when she got to the porch, her wet feet slipping on the floor. She wrapped her hand around the knob, opened it and she was inside, her body dripping and shaking from the cold and the sudden rush of adrenaline.

-Well, I made it, I guess- She laughed, feeling silly. She quickly ran to the master bedroom and put her cloth on the mattress, then she walked to the center of the room and began to shake, water drops splashing everywhere; she took her hair in her hands and squeezed tight, more water dropping to the floor.

-Crap, if only there were at least a small towel- She mumbled gazing around her, when her eyes meet the closet. Maybe there?

Frisk walked towards it, avoiding stepping on the rubble, and opened the other door. At first glance, she saw nothing, but as she looked down, a triumphant sound left her lips: on the ground, semi folded, was a white cloth; it was a little dusty and it wasn't that big but Frisk didn't care, she picked it up, shook it to get rid of the dust as much as possible and began to dry herself, carefully avoiding her private parts. Who know where that cloth had been?

Once she finished, she put her clothes back on, her body was still wet, but it wasn't anything the wind couldn't fix. She finished tying her boots and got up, gazing outside the window; it was a beautiful day, despite the trees still cutting off most of the sunlight, she could hear birds and small animals running around, and a gentle breeze caressing the trees.

So peaceful.

Frisk walked away from the window and headed to the living room, where she began to pick up the food leftovers and the crumpled papers. Maybe in the time she was alone, she could do something useful.

 

/ / /

 

Asriel flew over the treetops and through the clouds; he had been flying in the same direction for at least a couple of hours (according to the way the sun was moving), but all he could see was trees and mountains to his right and the ocean to his left, but no cities or nearby towns anywhere. He stopped, floating over the treetops.

-Maybe if I got higher I can see something- He mumbled to himself before boosting himself up. He rose above the clouds and looked to the horizon only to see more green and blue, it didn't look like he could find another place for Frisk to be save, there was only forest…

_“What about over there? Don't you see something?”_

Asriel turned around in the direction the voice told him. In the distance, beyond the forest and almost invisible at first glance, was a clear; and past that, Asriel spotted tall buildings. Another city? It looked like it; he could take Frisk there and try their luck finding a small job and shelter. Maybe he should go first and see if he could get his hands on some food and water. He looked down at the forest beneath him. Or maybe, he could look for food here, instead of resuming of stealing. He never liked it, even if he had done it a thousand times by now just to not to starve to death, he still felt incredible guilty every time, but by now, it had become almost an unconscious thing.

_“You're just doing what you have to”_

He closed his eyes tight, saying nothing and taking a deep breath before descending into the giant mass of green. He had to hurry and go back before nightfall; he didn't want to let Frisk alone much longer.

 

/ / /

 

The sun has begun to head to the west when Frisk stood in the middle of the living room, happily admiring her work. She went to each and every room, picking up all the garbage and leftovers and putting in it all in a rusty trash can she found in the bathroom; then she turned the discarded table up and accommodated the chairs around it. She placed the old sofa facing one of the windows, cleaned the scattered glass and even tried to remove the dust from the furniture, but it was difficult with just her hands. Despite everything, she didn't have the courage to try and clean up the bathroom. Whatever was in there, it smelled and looked even worse now, there was no way she would touch any of that. But other than that, the house looked in much better shape; Frisk smiled and reached for her pocket, pulling out a piece of paper and a small piece of carbon; she then sat on the table and carefully began to trace thin lines across the paper; circles, triangles and all kinds of abstract forms that unify in a unique design.

 

Suddenly, she heard a something coming from outside, a loud "pump" followed by the sound of flapping wings. She immediately recognized it. She got up, leaving the paper and the piece of carbon on the table to run to the door; she opened and a bright smiled appeared on her lips as she made her way towards Asriel. Once he saw her approach, his first words were:

-Are you ok?

She giggled at his worry.

-Yes, welcome back- She said- Did you find anything?

\- Just forest, ocean and more forest, it's gigantic but I found these- He said as he reached for his jacket pockets and showed her a collection of berries, enough to feed them for at least a few days-. I saw a city, is really far away from here but we can try and go there- He said offering her the fruits. She took them in silence and they both walked back inside the house.

They sat down on the mattress, Asriel taking off his jacket and putting it on the ground, revealing strong, well-formed arms, while Frisk did the same with her boots and socks, nibbling the small fruits; he mimicked her gesture and they both ate in silence for a few moments, Asriel with one hand on the mattress for support.

\- Where they hard to find? - Frisk asked, inspecting a strawberry.

\- Not that much, only if you know where to look, but the forest is full of them- Asriel responded-. Why do you ask?

-Well… A place in a city would be nice, but I really like it here, is quiet, beautiful and we don't have to worry about anyone, it would be just the two of us, and now we know we can find our own food- She said quietly, looking down at the mattress, as if she was somehow afraid he would be upset at the idea-. But, honestly, any place is fine; as long as we're together I don't care where we are. Asriel looked at her, silently smiling.

 

All of a sudden, Frisk searched in her pockets and took out a chocolate bar she had taken the night before from the pile of food; she slowly opened the package and took a small piece, bringing it to her mouth. The movement caught Asriel's eye, making him stop eating; his eyes were now glued to the dark candy trapped between Frisk's small lips. She savored it, playing with it a little with her tongue before letting it melt and reaching for another piece, happily unaware of Asriel keeping close attention to her every move; looking how her tongue unconsciously licked her lips as she ate another piece, the contrast of the dark color against her pale mouth send a violent shiver down his spine.

He'd always liked to see Frisk eat, there was something about those delicate lips that was just hypnotizing, it fascinated him and aroused him at the same time, and Frisk knew that _very well_ , but right now, she was submerged in her little world, completely unaware of what she was doing to him. She reached out for another bit, but that part of the chocolate had melted; when she ate it, it left a trace on her mouth, so she delicately used her fingers and her tongue to clean it up in a oh so provocative manner Asriel wondered if she was doing it on purpose, making his SOUL feel like it'll burst out of his chest.

I wasn't until she began to gently suck her finger when he decided to stop watching.

-Frisk?

The girl turned to him, a sweet, innocent look on her face. Asriel did his best not to laugh.

-Can I have some?

 Her first instinct would have been sharing some of her candy with him, her hand even reached for the rest of the chocolate. But then she caught the _look_ in his eyes, piercing through her.

Frisk felt a very familiar shudder down her spine, accompanied by a warm sensation in her chest that reached her waist, particularly between her legs.

Oh…

Frisk tried to remain calm and silently offered him a piece of the candy, failing at hiding the tremble of her body. Asriel smirked, knowing what was on her mind. He leaned over and took the small chocolate piece with his mouth, licking her fingers on the process and Frisk felt her face blush. She retreated her fingers and deliberately brought them to her mouth, licking the saliva Asriel had left, looking at him straight in the eye. It was all the invitation needed.

His left hand cupped her face firmly as his lips crashed against hers; she moaned as his tongue caressed her lips and found its way inside her mouth, dancing against her own. As Asriel tasted the sweet dark chocolate his right hand began to roam the girl’s body with passionate precision, pulling her close to him; she wrapped her arms around his neck and pushed herself even closer. The hand cupping her face began to descend, slowly passing the arc of her neck to her breast, his thumb massaging her sensitive nipples. Frisk moaned again, an almost helpless cry that asked for more; he knew it, so he leaned over her, gently pushing her down onto the mattress and she automatically adjusted her body to his, her legs and arms pulling him against her, deepening the kiss in doing so. One hand slipped under her sweater, caressing her back while the other one traced her leg; Frisk let her arms roam Asriel's broad back and arms, feeling the muscles tense under her touch. Asriel broke the kiss to concentrate on Frisk's neck, leaving soft small kisses along the way. Frisk arched her back to give him more space while her legs wrapped around his waist. She felt a thirst crawling up her entire body, her hands shaking with need. It had been quite a while since they had done this, so that she didn't even notice she missed it. But now, they had all the time in the world for themselves.

Asriel lifted her sweater and kissed her stomach, making her tickle, he smiled at the noises she made and continued downward, reaching her shorts, where he stop to look at her. Their eyes meet, his full of love and desire; hers with need and passion.

Asriel rose, unbuttoning her shorts and taking them off along with her underwear.

It'll be a long night, they had to make the most of it.

 

/   /   /

 

First he felt a pull deep inside his mind, someone calling, a voice, almost a whisper, speaking his name, over and over.

_“Ash….Ash”_

He frowned and rolled over to his side, not wanting to open his eyes.

_“Ash wake up!”_

He felt a strange pressure, as if someone was squeezing his brain; the voice became louder.

_“Ash!”_

Ash…?

_“Asriel wake up!”_

His eyes snapped open as he rose, breathing rapidly; his SOUL felt incredibly heavy, as if someone had pulled it out, punched it and put it back in his chest. He felt the heart locket around his neck, it felt cold.

-What?! – He asked out loud.

_“It’s Frisk!”_

Asriel looked to his side and felt his SOUL stop: Frisk wasn't by his side.

He looked around the darkroom, his clothes was discarded on the floor but Frisk's wasn't, not even her boots; he spotted out of the corner of his eye a small flickering light coming from the hallway.

-Frisk?- He called, but there was no answer. Asriel immediately got up and dressed, calling his partner again as he put on his jacket but again, no reply.

_“She always answers…”_

Asriel's SOUL tightened with dread as he practically ran towards the living room, but when he arrived, he stopped. There, right in the middle, five tall human men stand in an open circle, with pale faces and dirty, ragged clothes surrounding a sixth figure. When they heard him enter, they all turned to him, but Asriel could only stare at the man on the left, and the long knife he was holding around Frisk's throat.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sooo...getting all frisky on the second chapter eh? Well the reason for that is because I want to illustrate the nature of Frisk and Asriel's relationship as early as possible. It's not your normal couple situation; you'll see what I mean as the story progresses. And if for some odd reason you wanted more, let me tell you guys.....this is my very first time making any and I mean ANY NSFW material, literally. I haven't wrote in a while, and when I did it never came to this XD I'm outside my comfort zone here, so if any of you have suggestions on how to make good sexy scene, any help is appreciated, since it's gonna happen again XD. 
> 
>  
> 
> Any comments are greatly appreciated, if you want, you can follow the official blog of JourneyTale on Tumblr: journeytale-au. tumblr .com  
> See you later!!


	3. Keep searching

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Frisk and Asriel have to face an enemy that threatens to destroy the home they've just barely found; Frisk hopes to resolve the conflict peacefully, but for Asriel, being merciful is not something they can afford anymore. His only goal is to protect Frisk and he will do it no matter the cost.

Everyone stood in complete silence for long seconds, all eyes lying on Asriel, while his were solely on Frisk. She stared back at him with guilt. She had got up and dressed because she wanted to go outside the cabin for a few moments to use the bathroom, but as she reached for the front door, the five men had appeared on the threshold. She'd immediately turned to run but didn't have enough time to get away before one of them grabbed her and placed the weapon on her throat, threatening her to not make any sound and now they were all there, quiet as a tomb.

The man standing in the far right turned to face Asriel; he seemed to be in his late thirties, with brown hair, thick beard, shaded skin and bright blue eyes; he looked at Asriel with curiosity, as opposed to the rest of the group, who looked startled, confused, and even frighten by the monster's presence. It was to be expected; after all it was rare for monsters to venture beyond the borders of their land, thousands of miles away. Most of the time, the two species would rather stay within their own territory and leave each other alone.

\- Well this is something you don't see everyday boys, a real life visitor from the Monster Kingdom. What are you doing here pal? You're far away from home, is she with you? – He spoke with a deep voice, pointing to Frisk. But Asriel didn't answer; his eyes were locked on the man holding Frisk and the knife. The man with blue eyes noticed.

– Hey sorry for doing this but, you know, I think you can imagine how unpleasant it is if you came home after days of work and you found out two strangers are roaming the halls. Is really rude – He said. Asriel finally turned his gaze away and looked at the man. Frisk though Asriel was gonna murder him by just the way he was staring at him, his eyes burning red with hate.

\- We found this place by accident, we were lost in the forest and didn't know where to go, we just needed a place to stay for a while, we didn't mean any harm- She tried to explain.

The five men looked at each other, not very convinced, one of them even spat on the ground, but another one, a boy who didn't look older than nineteen, looked almost convinced, he didn't seem like he wanted to be there in the first place, and remained apart from the group, hidden in the shadows; when Frisk glance at him, he immediately avoided her gaze. The man with blue eyes looked at her and then turned to Asriel one more time.

–Is that true pal? – He asked.

But once again, Asriel didn't reply, just stared at the human.

–Let her go– He said, his voice sounding hoarsely and threatening. He felt the entity inside his mind moving nervously.

The atmosphere began to change around them; Frisk felt a cold shiver run down her spine, despite the room suddenly feeling warmer and heavier, like an invisible force was pushing them down. Asriel's magic was clearly at play once again, but this only served to increase Frisk's anxiety. She felt a memory slowly crawl to the surface of her mind, wanting to escape the prison of her subconscious, but she didn't let it. But the man, who was clearly the leader of the group, didn't seem bothered by Asriel's tone, if anything, he looked intrigued.

– That's really not a nice tone to use when you're in foreign land my friend, even less in another man's home. What should we do with these thief folks? – He said casually to his friends.

–I say we take whatever they have and kick them out, I bet they already ate all the food we work so hard to find – Said the one holding Frisk, he sounded tired but above all, angry; Frisk could feel his breath on her neck.

–I won't ask you again, let her go – Asriel growled. Sparks began to appear around the palm of his hands and face, electricity filling the air. Upon seeing this, the other humans became visibly nervous, some exchanging worried looks, while others seemed anxious for a fight, the tension was rising. Frisk looked at the young boy in the corner, visibly scared, going back and forth Asriel and the man with blue eyes.

– Ash wait! – She pleaded her friend before searching for the eyes of the bearded man-. Listen, you don't have to do anything; we were starving, we didn't have much of a choice, I'm sorry we took your food, but you would have done the same thing, that's what you do isn't it? You're homeless like us and that's why you’re here– She spoke as calmly as she could with the cold blade still against her skin. The room felt quiet once again, all eyes pacing between Frisk and the leader of the group, with Frisk looking at him directly. After what felt like an eternity, the man caressed his beard with one hand in a thoughtful gesture; he shrugged and spoke in a steady voice.

– You're right of course, every one of us has had to fight to survive in this hellhole, so we understand how hard it can be out there– Frisk and Asriel felt a wave of relief, the young monster even allowed himself to relax a little, maybe this could work out without anyone getting hurt? –. But even though you say you were desperate, it doesn't change the fact that now we have to replenish what you two took, which means going out there again, spending energy and resources we don't have. I'm sure you have seen how hard it is to get anything in this forest or in the city; so I'm afraid that we can't just let you go without some kind of payment– He added firmly.

Frisk felt her SOUL sink and her face going pale. She glanced at Asriel, whose momentary relief has been replaced once again by distrust and anger. They weren't getting out of here anytime soon.

–What about that locket? – Asked another one of the men, he stood a few steps away from Frisk, he was tall and muscular with deep grey eyes, and was wearing a worn black coat with a torn scarf around his neck. Everyone turned to him in confusion. He pointed at Frisk with a large hand covered with calluses.

– That necklace is made of gold, you can obviously tell; we can sell it in the city for really good money that would make things even– He explained with eyes fixed on the locked around Frisk's neck. Asriel felt a knot in his stomach and Frisk immediately tensed up against her captor's grip.

–No! You can't have that, please! It's a personal belonging, it has a special meaning – she stuttered, looking at the bearded men with pleading eyes, but he didn't flinch.

 –Actually, I think it's a fair trade, with that kind of money we would be out of the streets in no time, nobody has to get hurt, don't you think so, pal? – He asked Asriel, a smug smile on his lips that only fuel Asriel's anger.

If they took Frisk's locket, or even his own, that still hanged around his neck, inside his shirt, then they'd know what was inside of it, they'd know exactly who they were. Who _he_ really was. He couldn't let that happen.

–We're not giving you anything.

–I don't think you're in position to say anything, monster– Said the man, looking almost amused.

The tension was once again palpable; all the humans were looking at Asriel in an almost fighting stance. He had to act now, he could take care of them, he knew he could, with his powers none of them were a match, but Frisk...

–Ugg I'm fucking tired of this! Just give us the stupid necklace and be done with it! –Said the man holding the knife. He abruptly pulled Frisk back, sinking the knife deeper into her neck while his other hand aggressively tried to reach for the heart locket. The sharp weapon cut the flesh and Frisk let out a shocked cry.

 Asriel saw red.

With an inhuman growl, Asriel lunged at the man, holding the wrist that had the knife, and then punching him so hard he was thrown back against the wall; it all happened so fast, the rest of the group didn't react until their partner's unconscious body fell to the floor.

–You fucking bastard! - They yelled, and everything blew up.

Asriel felt how they threw themselves at him, trying to subjugate him; the one with the torn scarf almost hits him but he dodged it, other two were holding his arms, but with a powerful swing, he shook them off; the three humans hit the ground hard but were quickly back on their feet. Asriel growled again, hands turning into fits.

 

Frisk fell to the ground offhandedly after Asriel's attack, her vision became a blur for a moment; she could feel a trickle of blood going down her neck and bruises beginning to form, yet all of her pain was forgotten when she realized the battle that had started; she saw the three men attack her friend. She called his name and tried to get up but her knees weren't responding, she tried again and managed to stand, but when Asriel dodged another attack from one of the men, she quickly realized she wouldn't be of much help like this, she needed something else to help, and so she stumbled past the battlefield to the hallway. It was dark, but she managed to get to the room where they'd found the bottles earlier.  There, she reached out to pick one of the heavy, thick branches lying on the floor when, out of nowhere, a hand grabbed the back of her hair and pulled. Frisk screamed as she was carelessly pushed against the wall. A sharp pain blinded her. Her hands flew to her head in an attempt to mitigate the pain. She blinked a couple of times, her eyes finally adjusting to the blackness just in time for her to throw herself to the side, barely skipping a punch directed towards her face; she felt with a loud noise and  looked over her shoulder.

The menacing figure of the bearded men was standing above her, his eyes almost glowing in the darkness. Frisk caught a faint grimace on his face.

–Does that necklace mean so much to you girl? Are you really ready to die for it? - He said, sounding actually curious. But Frisk rolled to her side and kicked him in the stomach. He staggered backwards with an angry yelp, hitting the glass bottles and breaking them, the alcohol splashed the floor. She tried to take advantage of the distraction to find the branch or anything that she could use as weapon. She could barely see anything, she had to act fast! Her hands moved forwards and she felt something rough against her finger. Found it.

But before she could do anything else, the man grabbed her wrist, forcing it in an unnatural angle to make her turn around; his other hand was wrapped around her arm to lift her above the ground and slam her entire body against the wooden blanks. The air was knocked out of her lungs and her head exploded with pain; she stayed there, unable to move as the figure above her kneeled beside her. Her back arched as her body tried to recover from the impact. She caught a breath of air when cold fingers closed around her throat, squeezing. Panicking, she clung to the man's arm, but she was weak, her small hands only scratching his skin. Her frame began to burn, her head pulsing while her eyes looked around desperately. Her mouth opened in a silent cry as she tossed her right arm to the side, trying to hold something in the dark; her fingers brushed the surface of an empty glass bottle, however the object had landed just out of her reach and no matter how much she stretched, she was still too far.

 _No…No…I have to do something, don’t let it end like this!_ She thought desperately, her entire frame shaking. The dark shape above her squeezed his grip, crushing her neck. Her lungs now felt on fire, a fog began to cloud her mind yet her arm was still moving.

 _Get the bottle! Just a little bit more! Get it or you'll die!_ Her mind screamed, she felt like she would split in half, her neck was gonna be ripped apart.

Suddenly, a call, deep within her SOUL, answering her plea. Her chest glowed in an opaque red color as the power flowed through her veins, towards her right arm. Frisk felt the familiar tickling sensation, the rapid beat of her SOUL and she stretched again, as far as she could, and her arm stretched beyond its limit…

Her hand closed firmly around the glass.

The man's gaze caught the light on her chest and his eyes became wide open as realization struck him, but he was unable to do anything as Frisk's arm rose, crashing the empty object against his skull. The bottle shattered, hundreds of fragments scattered around the room, some falling on her chest and hair. She watched as the man with blue eyes remained still for a long second, then slowly, too slowly, bend to the side and collapsed next to her, where he remained, unconscious, a large cut crossing his face.

The moment the pressure disappeared from her neck, Frisk breathe deeply, like she would suck all the air from the room, she coughed a couple of times, a hand gently touching where the man had grab her, it hurt badly. She stayed there on the floor, catching her breath.

 

 

/ / /

 

A punch after another. Asriel felt the taste of blood in his mouth as a blow struck him, making him stumble. Another punch was directed to his stomach and yet one more to his chest; he fell on one knee, feeling dizzy. He felt the presence of the men surrounding him. One of them took one of his horns, yanking his head back and a knee crashed against his chin.

_“Ash!”_

He fell backwards, holding his balance with his elbow.

_“WHAT ARE YOU DOING?! Use your magic!”_

Out of the corner of his eye he saw the man with the scarf taking one of the wooden chairs. His vision was clouded, his lungs hurt, he barely registered the three figures in front of him when the chair was smashed against his head. The pain exploded as he was thrown back, splinters covering him. His head hit the ground and a grunt escaped his lips. Cuts now covered his face, blood trickling down. He coughed red, the three men were now muttering between them.

–What should we do with him?

–Kick him as his friend out, what else?

–But what if he comes back with more monsters?

–There are no more monsters idiot, they live on that kingdom of theirs, on the other side of the world.

–But this one doesn’t! What if he has other friends and they come back for revenge?

Asriel tried to stand; he could barely see the humans in front of them, the only source of light being the old oil lamp casted away in the corner.

–You two do whatever you want, I think I'm gonna keep that girl, haven't been with one in a long time.

Asriel froze. He heard the man's lewd tone, the one with the scarf; he could almost sense him smiling widely. His stomach turned and he felt sick.

–You're…you’re not serious are you? – It was the young boy who was speaking, his voice raspy with fear. He had been the only one who didn't wanted to fight, never once approaching Asriel nor his partners.

–Of course I'm serious, and don't look at me like that kid, if you behave maybe I'll even share her with you.

At these words, darkness began to cloud Asriel's mind, his entire frame trembling with a hatred he had only felt once before, a long time ago. Memories flowed his mind, of bodies lying on the ground, of claws tearing through flesh and bone and of screams of mercy he didn't have.

_Destroy them._

A different voice inside his mind whispered to him.

_They want to hurt Frisk again, you need to stop them._

His hands trembled, sparkling and glowing with fire magic, his entire body shaking with need, a thirst so powerful Asriel thought he would pass out. It asked for blood.

_Kill them, you have to kill._

–No...No– Asriel mumbled, trying to fight the voice.

–No? Hehe, don’t worry pal, I'll take good care of her- Said the man, thinking Asriel was talking to him-. You on the other hand, won't be so lucky- He approached, lifting his leg to kick the monster in the face, but the attack never reached its target.

A clawed hand closed firmly around the limb, tightening its grip until the man screamed in pain. He tried to break free with no use, so instead he tried to throw another punch at Asriel, who easily dodge it. It was there, the three men saw his eyes.

Big, flaming red, full of hatred, rage and blood lust.

_Kill_

The one with the scarf screamed, Asriel lifted him off the ground by the leg, throwing him to the other side of the room like he was a rag doll. He fell over another wooden chair, crushing it. The other man shouted a curse, launching at Asriel with fists high. The monster saw him coming and quickly avoided the attack; his arm shot forward, grabbing the man's neck in an iron grip. Next, Asriel slammed the human against the wall with such force he actually he heard the man's skull crack, his eyes rolling to the back of his head for a moment: he was about to pass out. But Asriel wasn't going to let that happen.

He tightened his grasp, and his palm began to glow with fire. The human's eye shot open, his mouth twisted in an awful grin as he screamed, feeling his skin melting; he tried to hit his captor, attempting desperately to break free, but Asriel didn't flinch, he couldn't even feel the punches, his eyes piercing through his victim. He heard the screams, the cry for help, he heard him beg for mercy. But he didn't stop. All that Asriel could see was red.

An gruesome, contorted grin appeared on his face, his fangs showing as he squeezed his grip just a little more, before lifting the human up and throw him aside, he fell to the ground and stayed there, unconscious, smoke rising from his body.

A disturbing, guttural scream came out of Asriel's mouth as his entire frame was being covered in fire, his eyes glowing bright red. He pushed his hands forward, his head back, and an explosion of magic shook the entire cabin, fire spreading everywhere and to every room.

–YOU. WON’T. TOUCH HER! – His scream was heard as the fire began to consume the house.

 

/ / /

 

Frisk finally managed to get up, only to realize in horror that fire magic has covered the entire house, which was now rapidly consuming.

–Asriel? Oh my God, what are you doing?! - She asked out loud before running to the room with the food stack. The place wasn't going to survive this, so she needed to act quickly and take everything she could before finding Asriel. She started to cough, the smoke blinding her vision.

 

/ / /

 

He saw something move out of the corner of his eye, when he turned, the glow of a knife passed inches from his face. The man that had attacked Frisk was back on his feet, swinging his weapon violently at him.  Asriel avoided another blow with his arm and launched at the man with a snarl, but the human was quicker than he expected, managing to move aside in time; he struck again, the blade cutting through Asriel's jacket and reaching his skin. Asriel let out a horrible scream and spun around, hitting him in the chest with a fiery hand; the impact send the man to the ground, he coughed blood a couple of times but recovered, seemingly unaffected by the fact that now he had a broken rib. Asriel stopped and looked at the human carefully, like he wasn't standing in the middle of a burning house; his hands were shaky, his face glowed from the sweat and was now breathing with difficulty, but most amusing of all, his eyes betrayed his fear. Asriel gave him a mocking smile, his fangs showing and a cruel laugh escaping his lips. The dark voice inside him whispered to him.

_Kill him. You need to kill_

He stepped forward, slowly, his tall frame looming over the man, who, despite his injuries, raised the knife and charged against him. They fought, crashing against the furniture and avoiding the pieces of burned wood that began to fall from the ceiling. The smoke soon covered the entire place, suffocating them, but still, the man persisted, even managing to strike him in the chest. Asriel's vision was far sharper than a normal human being, so he easily moved toward his opponent; large stars formed around Asriel, which began slashing the human's skin, exploding and becoming dust. The cries of pain pierced his ears but at the same time, it was like he couldn't hear them. His mind was blank, the only thing he could feel was the thirst, drowning every other emotion or feeling, it burned inside him like the fire he had just created, making him crave for the man's SOUL, for fighting, for blood.

The man fell to the ground once again, his frame covered in blood, he still hold the knife firmly in his hand, but he didn't got up this time; his clothes began to catch fire, but Asriel wasn't paying attention to him anymore. Instead, his blood filled eyes found the terrorized figure of the young boy, staring at him from the far corner.

 

Frisk felt she was going to faint, she wouldn't stop coughing, but she forced herself to keep her eyes open as she made her way through the hallway. She coughed harder as she entered the living room, stumbling every few steps; she tried to see beyond the smokescreen, and when her sight finally adjusted, she felt a cry caught in her throat. Asriel stood there, surrounded by bodies...his right hand wrapped around the young boy's throat as he hold him high above the ground. The flames casted a dark shadow over her friend's silhouette, his glowing eyes and his disturbing grin made him look like a demon...

–No! –Frisk screamed, running toward the monster, barely dodging a flaming piece of wood falling from the roof. He reached Asriel and immediately began to shake him, pulling from his sleeve–. Ash! Ash stop it! You need to stop you’re killing him!

 At first, he didn't even seemed to feel her presence; he just continued to stare at the dying human in his grasp, so Frisk took his face in her hands and force him to look at her.

–Asriel! We need to get out here! The house is burning you need to stop now! Please! – She pleaded, voice filled with dread.

Crimson eyes met hers, wild with hatred and bloodlust, but she didn't back away, she wasn't afraid. She stood on her toes and pressed her forehead against his, whispering soft words to him, her hands calmly caressing his fur, not breaking eye contact. Then, after a few long seconds, Asriel blinked at her, his expression softened, the rage vanished from his eyes; he looked at the human he was still holding and dropped him to the ground offhandedly, like he had just touched something burning. The young boy had burn marks all over his body but was still breathing. Frisk let go of Asriel and looked around, the house was crumbling down, the fire engulfing them, they had no time. Asriel took her arm and was about to guide her to the exit, but she stopped him.

–Ash wait! We need to get them out!

–What?! – He looked at her in disbelief-, No! We don't have time.

–We can't leave them here! They'll die!

–WE are going to die if we don't get out now!

He tried once again to pull her by the arm, still she didn't move; he turned and gave her a look of despair.

–Frisk please!

–I’m not leaving them, and if you don’t want to help me I'll carry them outside myself! - She shouted, looking right at him. She saw how his jaw clenched as a frustrated growl escaped his lips, but then, he crouched to pick up the unconscious bodies lying on the floor. She was about to help him, yet Asriel insisted for her to get out and wait for him outside.

– I can carry them, go – Was the only thing he said.

Frisk nodded, turning and searching for the exit as fast as she could, covering her face with the sleeve of her sweater while trying to see through the fire and smoke.  The door was almost completely destroyed, so instead Frisk just ran towards it, crashing against it, her body easily wrecking the rotten wood. Frisk tripped, barely holding her balance as she ran towards the cold night, the deep darkness was an almost shocking contrast compared to the inferno she just experienced. She fell on her knees, coughing violently, all the while the sounds of burned wood filled her ears. She turned slowly, her eyes itching.

Before her eyes, the place that had been their home for only a day was falling apart in a horrendous ball of fire, casting shadows among the trees. Frisk clenched the heart locket around her neck as she frantically looked for Asriel. With a final crack, the cabin collapse on itself, the flames engulfing what little was left.

–Ash! – Frisk screamed.

She stood there, still, and then, a small explosion followed by a winged figure that bursted out of the scorching remains, landing a few steps from her. Asriel kneeled, his large wings disappearing from his back as he placed the four men on the ground before stumbling backwards, as if trying to get away from them as fast as he could. And just like that, the forest fell into a strange silence; the only sounds were the crackling of the house's remains.

 

Frisk let out a loud sigh of relief, running towards her friend, but he stepped back even further, a hand raised to tell her not to come close to him yet. Frisk compiled reluctantly, knowing well what was going on inside his mind. Asriel's expression told her he was still fighting the thirst, the one that makes him crave for the power of human SOULS, for battle and for power, the one that almost made him kill all of those men a few minutes ago. It made him aggressive, impulsive and incredibly difficult to control. So Frisk stood there and waited, patiently watching as Asriel took long deep breath, with a hand over his chest and his eyes fixed on the grass; he was without a doubt arguing with the entity inside him.

All of a sudden, Asriel's face rose and looked at her, eyes wide with horror.

–Ash? – Frisk took a step toward him–. Ash what’s wro…?

She never finished her sentence, for without a warning, Asriel shot his left arm forward, palm open. A loud thunder resonated in her ears, a ball of light came out of Asriel's palm and the world became white. The lighting moved like a snake, changing colors, from green, to orange, to red, purple and back again; it passed right next to Frisk, looking for something behind her. Frisk felt the rush of electricity hit every part of her before she caught the smell of burning hair; she heard thunder once again before the forest fell quiet again. Frisk blinked, not sure of what had just happened, why would Asriel use his magic like that? She slowly turned around and the answer came in the form of a body lying on the grass, lifeless, the torn clothes told her he was the tall man with the scarf, but she couldn't recognize his face, as the powerful attack had disfigured it in a horrific way. Frisk lowered her gaze and saw that the man was holding a knife in his right hand. Somehow the man had regained consciousness, took the weapon and had been just seconds away of killing her.

Her mind began to spin, her body shaking uncontrollably as Asriel approached her, she heard him say something but she couldn't make out the words, everything around her seemed to have lost any sound. She felt his strong hands on her shoulders and when she looked up, Asriel's wings were on his back once again. He was about to fly, she understood; he spoke again, and even though she still couldn't hear him, she knew what he meant. And so, Frisk automatically wrapped her arms around Asriel's neck as he put his arms behind her back and  legs, picking her up bridal style, she hid her face on the base of his neck, closing her eyes tight, the wind hit her when he flapped his wings just as they took off, leaving behind the wrecked cabin along with the survivors....or what was left of them.

Frisk didn't look; she just stayed still in Asriel's grip as they flew away to never come back.

 

/ / /

 

Ariel didn't know for how long he flew; the moon still shone high above them and the stars covered the firmament but he was sure he had been flying for at least half an hour, in which direction, he wasn't sure, he just wanted to get Frisk out of that place as fast as he could; she hadn't spoken a word yet and that made him nervous. He looked down, searching for a place, and begun descending among the giant trees. By this time they were far away from those humans.

He flapped his wings as he touched the ground; he glanced at Frisk, who was hiding her expression in his neck, so he gently caressed her cheek with his nose. She looked up at him, her brown eyes shone in the darkness with fear and worry, it made his SOUL shrink. Carefully, he put her down and summoned a fireball to break through the blackness surrounding them. His hands then cupped her face to make her look at him.

–Are you ok? Did they hurt you? – He asked in a whisper.

–No…No…I’m fine – She answered in the same tone. She sounded lost, like she didn't quite comprehend what was happening, maybe she was in shook, after what she saw him do….

Asriel pushed away the thoughts and concentrated on delicately examine her frame, looking for any signs of injury. He found one around her neck, handprints already forming nasty bruises on her soft skin. Rage found its way back to him, making his hands trembled. How dare they? How dare they try to hurt what was most precious to him? To take her away from him again? He placed his palms on her injuries and a green glow emerged from them. He stayed still and in complete silence as he healed her, trying not to think of what he would've done to the man that had hurt his Frisk.

_“Your Frisk….”_

The entity inside him hasn't said a single word since the thirst took over him and now, it sounded almost tired. As if hearing the voice, Frisk placed her hands above his, gently leading against them. Asriel felt a warm shiver ran down his spine.

–Ash….

–Yes?

Frisk took a couple of seconds to find her words, probably because her neck still hurt and she didn't want to force her vocal cords.

–The man....the one with the beard, he was unconscious, I left him on one of the rooms I....I don't know if he got out before... –Her voice became almost inaudible, if it wasn't for the fact his hearing was sharper than most people, he wouldn't have heard her. Asriel focused his attention on his work, not wanting to think too much on the matter.

–He seemed like the strongest of them all, I'm sure he got out in time –He said, not convinced in the slightest. His eyes met Frisk's and he knew she didn't believe it either; her eyes were filled with regret.

–They attacked us Frisk, they threatened you, we did what we had to do, there was no other choice –He told her, voice soft and gentle, for he knew Frisk wouldn't stop feeling guilty even though there was nothing else they could've done. Silence fell upon them once again; the only sounds were their breathing and the nocturne animals somewhere around them. Asriel let go of her neck when he was sure his magic had successfully healed her wounds and caressed her cheek with his thumb, she was covered in soot, same as him, no doubt. She looked at him and slowly reached out with her right hand, placing it on his chest, where one of those men had cut him, she stroked it softly….

 

 

It started from his SOUL. It spread across every part of his body, burning his veins like fire and crushing his SOUL. Pain.

Asriel's body tensed up, his eyes wide open with fear. His body arched back in an unnatural angle as an agonizing bellow escaped his lips. The pain was everywhere, he couldn't think, couldn't move, he felt like he was being burned from inside out. He fell on his knees and barely registered Frisk kneeling beside him, talking to him, calling his name.

She pulled on his jacket and he didn't resist when she took it off, or his shirt; he was melting. The cloth fell on the grass, leaving Asriel's back bare: it was covered, almost entirely, by dark marks that described circles, swirls and long curvy lines across his skin, like tattoos. Frisk was saying something to him, but he could barely make out the words above his own screams; she must have noticed, because next, Asriel felt her hands cupping his face, guiding him close to her and he immediately buried his face in the curve of her neck. She hold him there, caressing his back and neck, talking to him as they waited for the pain to end.

–I’m here, I’m here, it’s going to be ok – She said over and over next to his ear.

Time seemed to stretch to infinity, with the agony and the fire in his veins being the only things unchangeable. His SOUL was beating at an inhuman pace and Asriel just wished to die, to do anything to make it stop, but all he could do was stay in Frisk's embrace, trembling, with eyes close. He tried to concentrate on her breathing, at least to distract himself from this hell.

He counted fifty breaths when he finally noticed a change: The pain was decreasing, the burning sensation disappearing, leaving his body numb, and soon, Asriel felt another sensation slowly crawl up his rapidly beating SOUL.

The power.

It was like millions of ants moving under his skin, but the sensation wasn't uncomfortable at all, quite the opposite; Asriel felt his muscles tense and grow stronger, his horns becoming larger, hard as stones; his fangs and claws sharp like knifes; his eyes could now see the smallest dust particles in the air or the tiny bugs crawling on the ground like they were in front of him. Every one of his sense had been maxed out. Asriel lifted his head, pulling away from Frisk only a little to look at his right shoulder. There, one of the marks had moved. Like ink across paper, it had slowly expanded over his shoulder, going down his arm in a thin spiral and stopping on his elbow.

They both stared at his new mark and Asriel felt sick; he shook his head with a growl and closed his eyes to read his SOUL, even though he already knew what he would find:

_HP: Increased_

_Attack: Increased_

_Defense:  Increased._

_L.O.V.E:  9_

 

Level of Violence, the way of measuring someone's capacity to hurt, increasing every time a monster takes a life, granting them with an incredible power and abilities, but also cursing them with an eternal thirst for blood and conflict. The more L.O.V.E a monster gains, the more powerful they become, and the more their body changes, with dark marks spreading across their forms, branding them as killers.

Asriel opened his eyes and sat there, watching the new mark on his arm like it was some kind of disgusting creature clinging to him; he took his sight away from it, not wanting to look at it anymore, the guilt clutching his SOUL. Two soft hands caressed his face; when he looked, Frisk was still there, with tears running down her cheeks, a sad smile on her small lips. After everything that has happened, what he did....after what he had become, she was still there, still looking at him like he was some kind of angel instead of the horrendous creature he really was, holding him like her life depended on it.

Despite everything, she was still there.

–Frisk…– He spoke, his voice deeper than before, raspy–, I’m sorry….I’m so sorry, I didn’t have a choice... He wanted to kill you, he was about to…I couldn’t let him.

She hushed him with a gentle touch on his lips, shaking her head.

–No Ash, you’re right, they weren't going to stop, you did what you had to, I know– She spoke in a whisper, Asriel could hear the regret in her voice but even so she didn't pull away, she only took his hands and help him to his feet, wrapping her arms around him tightly, he immediately did the same. They held each other for a long moment, the other's presence the only comfort they could find. When Asriel broke the hug, he looked around, his sight was sharper now, but he still couldn't see pass the darkness, the fireball above his head only showed him the nearby trees and bushes.

–I guess is back to berries now, we lost what was left of the food in the fire –He said resignedly.

–Well, not really– Said Frisk looking in her pockets, Asriel frowned at her but then his expression transformed into surprise when the girl showed him an apple, two bags of chips, a granola bar and the rest of the berries he had found not even a day ago. This could last them at least a couple of days if they were smart, and they could always look for more berries here in the woods. It was better than nothing. He smiled.

–You're always the one with quick thinking.

–I wasn't thinking exactly, I just reacted– Frisk said, shrugging and Asriel couldn’t help but rolls his eyes, still smiling.

They agreed it would be best to keep flying to avoid any detection until morning, that way they could start to look for food and a new place to stay. Asriel didn't remember in which direction was the city he'd seen before, so he decided to go with his instinct. He summoned his wings once again and shot to the dark sky with Frisk secure in his arms. He didn't know what was waiting for them the next morning, nor did he care too much about finding out, the only thing he could think about was the fact that he'd almost lost Frisk that night, a mistake he would never allow himself to make again, no matter what he had to do; he would protect his angel, his reason to live. And if he had to take another life, in turn risking gaining more L.O.V.E, he would do it, no matter how much he hated it.

 

/ / /

 

_In a city hundreds of miles away:_

The loud sound of the horn could have destroyed his ears...if He had any.

The powerful machine sped up, roaring as it sliced between the two cars with ease. He almost passed a red light, not that he minded that much anyway. He caught glance of a couple of angry people, bawling insults at him and a guilty smile appeared on his face. That was close.

He sped up again with a quick movement of his hand, zigzagging between cars and trucks like a blur with a life on its own. The rumble of the engine and the incredible size and form of the lustrous instrument draw the attention of every passerby, leaving behind a trail of amazed faces and looks of envy.

That was ok. He'd spent entire months working on this piece, building it from scratch and swallowing almost his entire salary; all of those sacrifice to create his own custom made sport bike. So if after all of that work and sweat, his masterpiece didn't manage to capture the attention of every single person around, it would mean a personal failure for him.

Luckily, that wasn't the case.

Now he found himself roaming the city streets with no clear destination, not that it mattered anyway. The speed, the sensation of floating, the wind on his face, the freedom…His surroundings blended into a cloud of colors, shapes and sounds...there was nothing like it. After spending months confined in a small garage, the change was more than welcome. His brother was going kill him for not wearing a helmet, but in this case, he didn’t care. He felt the magic in his body boil as he headed north, making his way through cars, trucks and other bikes. It was almost pass eleven, everyone was going home after a long day at work, the streets were almost empty, the city falling silent. He took the next curve, leading to the edge of the city. He looked up and gave a sad smile, wishing he could see the stars, but the sky was hiding behind the thousands of city lights. However, he had a solution for that.

The city was surrounded by mountains and forest, a tiny island of concrete in a sea of green; the mountains offered protection against any possible tsunamis and were also an alternative for those who wanted a change from all the rush, the noise and stress of the crowded streets. There was a naturally formed path where the buildings and houses ended; a wooden fence created the division between man and nature, but it wasn't too big, and the neighbors weren't too concern in keeping it, as it was already rotten in some areas and broken on others.

 The monster drove between quiet houses until he reached the fence, he looked around to make sure no one was watching, the street was deserted, the windows and doors closed; next he hid the motorcycle next to a nearby tree ringed by tall bushes, he placed broken branches and dry leaves all around the machine, making sure it was well hidden before conceal his own face with the hood on his leather jacket; he turned around, pulling out something from his pockets, a small picture; he unfold it and looked at the person in the photograph with a sad, longing stare then he looked up the path and in an instant, he disappeared, leaving behind a trail of disturbed leaves that had jumped off the ground in the same spot the monster had been few seconds ago. The path ended on top of a hill, there, an old oak tree rested, its enormous branches reaching out to the sky, its leaves blocking the moonlight. The ground trembled around the tree when the tall silhouette of the monster materialized in front of it. He took off his hood and walked a few steps forward, taking a deep breath with arms stretched by his side, face towards the sky and eyes closed. The soft light of the silver moon revealed his skeletal figure, his skull reflecting the stars above; inside his eye sockets, two bright dots shone in a light blue, the pupils moving lazily. The skeleton monster took another breath, sitting down calmly and resting his back on the tree trunk, legs crossed; he brought the picture close to his face, his large phalanges caressing it. There were two people in the photograph, one was a human woman, no older than twenty, with green eyes, long blonde hair and bright smile; the other one was himself but he wasn't paying attention to that.

–I promise I'll be back tomorrow, I won't be late, just wait for me– He whispered to the girl in the picture, laying a gentle kiss on it to turn his gaze at the firmament above him, getting lost in his memories.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapters are way too long to complete in just one month, but I'll continue to do my best to keep the schedule, and if life gets in the way, I'll let you know, promise.   
> And yes, in case you didn't figure it out, L.O.V.E works a little different in this AU in comparison to the original game; here only monsters can gain L.O.V.E and when they do, not only do they gain a huge amount of power really fast, but as time goes on they experience a thirst for violence, blood and conflict. The more you kill, the harder it is to maintain your true self, the more you start to think killing is the only way out. Only monsters with a huge willpower can resist the thirst and not get lost along the way. On top of that, your body gets this dark marks that look like tattoos but this one can't be removed no matter what you do. So yes folks, Asriel has killed before, that’s why he can fly and has his entire back covered in those marks. You'll find out more of that later in the story.
> 
> Aside from LOVE, Determination also works different from the game, Frisk still has the ability to save and load but she can’t Reset, as in she can’t turn back time to the last Save Point. In this AU, DT works as a special power that changes Frisk's body, allowing her to do things a normal human wouldn't be able to do in other circumstances, for example, DT allowed her to stretch her arms to an impossible distance to grab the bottle. Determination is present in all human, but some have bigger amounts of it in their bodies.
> 
> Also, G showed up! Even though I didn't even said his name XD I guess his proper introduction will be in the next chapter. I'll do my best to make him his own character and separate him from the other variations of Gaster!Sans.  
> I think that’s all for now, I hope I explained all the LOVE and Determination thing properly. 
> 
> See you later guys!


	4. IMPORTANT NOTE AND QUESTION

Hello, readers.   
I don’t know if this will reach someone but I’m gonna do it anyway. It’s been months since I last updated this story and it’s one of the reasons why I’m making this update of sorts. One of the reasons I stopped writing was because many personal issues that came crashing all at once leaving me without time for anything else. However the major reason was that I noticed that really no one was paying attention to this. Many people complete forget how important and meaningful comments are. When an author or an artist gets comments and notes on their work it really means freaking everything, it lights up our worlds, but if no one does, we feel like no one is enjoying what we're doing and in turn we tell ourself "why bother?" 

That's what I felt a few months ago, I felt like my effort wasn't worth it; this story means a lot to me for many reasons, and it's my very first story in English. I short I felt really discourage but hey, that happens to many, right? Still, because the story is already planned out (the story has an ending and all, I have all the info, I just have to write it) I was wondering, would anyone still read it if I decide to finnish it? Like for real, would anyone be interested? I would be willing to make the effort to continue if it means someone out there is enjoying it, it would be my biggest, quite literally.

Sooo yeah, that's what I wanted to ask so please let me know what you think   
Maybe I'll see you soon, maybe not, we'll see. Thank you for your time.


	5. Court Forest

The small branch broke under the weight of her boots. The crackling noise traveled through the trees maybe louder than it should have, but the forest was silent, peaceful; birds were singing on the tree tops, squirrels ran around the ground looking for their missing nuts along other animals, their rapid pacing and small noises formed a strange melody that accompanied the two travelers. The sun shone bright above them, rays of sunlight breaking through the leaves and thick branches, no clouds visible. Frisk stopped and looked up, standing directly under a beam of light. She felt her skin warm under her sweater, the golden chain hot around her neck; she smiled and closed her eyes taking a slow, deep breath, letting the tranquility fill her SOUL. After the incident that happened a couple of days ago with the group of humans, she and Asriel had flew away hoping to get as far away from them. Now, they wonder the forest once more.

Asriel had offered to keep flying a little longer, but so much time in the air made Frisk dizzy and her limbs stiff, so now they walked, taking whatever food they could find, mostly just berries and nuts. Frisk still kept the granola bar and the bag of chips she managed to take from the pile of food they left behind, saving it for when they really needed it. She opened her eyes when she felt a soft, furry hand close around hers, the smile on her lips widened as her friend landed a kiss on her forehead. 

Asriel was acting more protective over her since the incident, always on high alert, close and never taking his eyes off her, no doubt still shaken up by all of it, but Frisk didn't really minded, although he could get a little carried away, as far as to treat her like a little girl that needed constant protection. However, Frisk had never mentioned this to him, for she knew he only cared for her, so she let him be. She returned the gesture interlocking her fingers with his.

They resumed their walk; Frisk still had trouble with her boots every once in a while, but she had a better control of it now. Minutes turned into ours of walking nonstop, the sun moving to the west slowly but surely. It had begun hiding behind the trees when Asriel made her stop, pointing in front of them.

– There's a highway over there, maybe it leads to the city I saw a few days ago.  
–You didn't see it before?  
–No, maybe the trees hid it.  
–Well let's follow it, see where it goes – Frisk said with excitement, practically dragging Asriel with her.   
They walked by the side of the road for what it felt like another our but never saw any vehicles passing by; the sky turned from blue to a mixture of orange, pink and yellow, the sun hiding behind the clouds. The first star appeared when Frisk felt the ground shake and a roaring sound behind her; she turned and saw lights in the distance, she was about to tell her friend but he had already taken her hand to guide her behind the trees. Of course, Asriel had heard the sound long before her. They hid and watched in silence as a blue car passed by, blowing leaves and dust at their direction; Frisk closed her eyes, coughing a few times; she waved her hand in front of her to get rid of the dust before glancing at the road, the car had disappeared behind a curve a few feet from their position. Behind the trees, Frisk could swear she saw lights.

–Ash, look! Lights! –Frisk exclaimed, not waiting for Asriel's response, instead leaving their hiding place and running towards the lights. She heard Asriel scream behind her as she made the curve, stopping abruptly. Her eyes and mouth wide open with what she had in front of her. 

Two columns made of bricks stretched to the treetops, each one carrying a lamp on the top that flickered with a soft light; the columns were on each side of the road, connected with an enormous sign that described an arc and read in gold and black letters: 

"Welcome to Court Forest"

The town's name glowed in the rising darkness, casting a small light over Frisk, who tilted her head to the side. She had never heard of a town called Court Forest before; she glanced beyond the gate and saw an empty street with small, carefully planted trees and streetlights on each side, it seemed quiet. Frisk felt Asriel reach her side, putting a hand on her shoulder, she knew he was about to scold her for running away like that but she wasn't about to let him, so instead, she took his hand, which caught him by surprise, and once again she dragged him with her, trespassing the town entrance in a rush.

–Frisk?!   
–Come on Ash! Don’t you want to see this place?  
–Yes but we need to be careful we can’t just run around like this! –Asriel said with alarm in his voice, he tried to make Frisk stop, but she just kept pushing forward, fighting against Asriel's strength.  
–But there’s no one around!   
–Frisk!

She felt Asriel's arm firmly around her shoulders, forcing her to stop, next she let out a small gasp when her friend lifted her off the ground and guided her behind a small building, shielding them from view. Frisk pressed her back against the brick wall while Asriel glared at her.  
–Frisk this is not a game, we don't know anything about this place, it could be dangerous.  
–Well, honestly it doesn't look dangerous to me–She said gesturing towards the calm street.

–Yes, that's what we thought about that cabin as well, I don't want to fight for our lives again so soon– Asriel said in a dark tone, he looked in the same direction as Frisk–. And besides…I don’t know if the people here would even be comfortable with my presence.

He was right, even though monsters and humans ruled the world in a relative lasting peace, there were many humans who didn't feel comfortable around monsters, and many would even show racism towards them. There had been confrontations between the two races before, hundreds of years ago when war raged all across the land; Frisk remembered hearing the stories, she remembered listening about how the two battling fronts had managed to come to an agreement after decades of conflict, an agreement of peace that had lasted to this day, though some of the old scars and prejudice still remained. Asriel himself had encountered a few people like that in their travels.

 

Frisk returned her eyes to the street and saw few humans walking along the sidewalks, along with a couple of cars; the day was ending and people returned to their homes, ready to call it a day, rest and be with their families. The sky was now dark blue, more stars appearing in the firmament. Frisk both Asriel's hands between hers. He looked at her.

–I know what you mean Ash, but we can't just avoid people forever, we've had our bad encounters before, however that doesn't mean everyone is like that, you know this– She spoke softly, looking at him in the eye, she gave him a smiled–. We’re going to be fine, we always are! Now come on! Let’s explore this place! Please? – She implored. Asriel's expression remained hard at first, but after a moment his muscles relaxed, his look softened, glancing at her with an almost painful resignation. She smiled, knowing too well she was taking advantage of Asriel's weakness: He couldn't say no to her when she used that tone.

–Fine, let's look around and see what we find– Say the monster with a deep, defeated sigh.  
Frisk didn't wait for him to finish, she stepped on her toes, kissing him on the cheek before guiding him away from the building and into the streets, never letting go of his hand.

/ / /

The town wasn’t too big, with a population of maybe three thousand people and in many ways similar to other towns they have known over the past few years, but Frisk quickly fell in love with it. The streets were wide, the sidewalks adorned with smalls trees and bushes. The houses had walls of bright colors, large windows with white frames and beautiful gardens perfectly kept. Tall residential buildings were visible from the distance, the windows reflecting the stars. Street lights turned on as they walked. Asriel looked, holding Frisk's hand; the few humans that were still out turned to watch him, most of them surprised, some shocked, and then there were those with fear in their eyes, as they looked at the dark marks on his face, on either side of his cheeks. They knew their meaning, no doubt. Asriel turned his gaze away, shame washing over him.

“Ignore them, is not their damn business, they don't know who you are” Said the entity inside him with disdain; this wasn't the first time Asriel heard this advice, but it was still difficult sometimes, to face the fear in the eyes of others when they realized the truth behind the darks marks covering his skin, the red glow of his eyes, he hated it.   
He looked ahead, were Frisk had let go of his hand for a moment to run to a nearby store; it was small, with large windows and a wooden door with a golden knob. Frisk pressed her nose and both hands against the glass, trying to see what was inside, the interior was completely dark. Above them, Asriel saw a big sign that told him this was an antique shop. He smiled. 

Frisk has always been drawn to this kind of places, specifically antique objects, she liked to wonder how they got there, where they came from, what story they tell; it was a fascination they both once shared. When they were kids the two of them, along with their other sibling, would wander the large hallways of a grand castle with golden curtains and marbled columns, exploring every single room and wonder about every strange object they could find, despite his mother's reprimands…  
The memories began to flow to the surface of his mind, but he immediately buried them again, shaking his head.   
That past life didn't exist anymore, that Asriel, sweet, innocent and naive, had died a long time ago.

They wandered through the town for what felt like hours as quietness settled around them. A cold wind gently caressed the trees making Frisk trembled despite her sweater. Asriel wrapped an arm around her shoulders. After a few more minutes, Asriel started to notice the number of houses and business decreasing, the path the had taken was covered with grass, bushes and other plants growing chaotically in all directions, the trees were bigger and had an almost threatening look, shielding the moonlight. Asriel tighten up his grip around Frisk's shoulders.

–Stay behind me – He mumbled.

A dark silhouette began to rise in the distance, Asriel squinted his eyes looking for a better view, and soon enough, the tall building appeared before them among the trees. It was obviously abandoned: leaves, branches and dust covering the entrance and ground around it; black stains and climbing plants hiding the walls along with the windows, most of them broken. The limited light that still remained also showed a group of big red letters resting on top of the structure; like the rest of it, they looked old and forgotten, but Asriel could read the message clearly: Bowling Center. Asriel frowned; he lifted his free hand to summon a fire ball, sending it a couple of meters ahead of them. The fire ball floated above them like a small sun, illuminating the path for them. Asriel and Frisk approached carefully, listening to any sound that might indicate the presence of someone nearby. They stopped at the bottom of the stairs that led to the entrance, two doors with large, broken windows, the glass spreaded on the floor. Asriel looked up.

–What do you think? The place seems good enough– Frisk asked in a whisper.  
–I don’t know.  
–Still, we can use it.  
–We don’t know that Frisk, it could be like last time.  
–Then we need to investigate, like we always do– Frisk said with an enthusiasm he knew well, she walked beside him towards the entrance like it was a walk in the park and stepped inside through the broken window. Asriel had to use most of his willpower to not stop Frisk in her tracks; instead he simply took her hand between his. He summoned two more fireballs; the one he originally created floated ahead of them, while the other two stayed at each side of them.

– This place is not like the cabin, anyone can hide in here, stay close alright?  
Frisk nodded.  
The place was indeed big, but unlike what Asriel thought at first, most of it was empty space. There were large and wide hallways with a few doors that led to small rooms with nothing but desks, chairs, mountains of papers scattered all over the floor; there was also a room filled with large monitors and a control panel, but naturally it was out of power. There were a handful of empty stores, with broken glass doors along with dusty furniture. However, Asriel noticed, the building wasn't in such a bad shape as it appeared on the outside; everything was dusty and dirty yes, but besides that, everything else was in a decent state, just messy.  
–I don't think this place has been empty too long– He whispered as they headed towards the main floor using the stairs; Asriel also noticed that the elevator, though nonfunctioning, was almost untouched.  
–Yes I see it too, I think it's possible it hasn't been even a year since it closed down–Frisk answered looking around–. I wondered what happened, everything seems fine.  
–I have no idea, and I don't think we'll find out.  
They arrived to the bowling area, it was massive, with ten long lanes surrounded by pines and bowling balls discarded here and there, however when they took a closer look, they again found everything in almost a perfect state, Frisk even found that the chairs were almost brand new and some of the pines didn't have any scratch on them.  
“You couldn't find something better? This place is giving me the creeps” –Said the entity inside Asriel, he could feel its dread like it was his own.  
–Is not like we get to pick– He answered.

“Still, you can't believe Frisk can be safe in a place like this, it's more likely to someone to show up”

But even though Asriel agreed with the voice, Frisk didn't seem to think much of it, quite the contrary, the smile on her lips along with the glow in her eyes told him she was comfortable, having fun even. He desperately wanted to find something better, saver for Frisk, a real home, he wanted her to be happy, and right now, he might just be able to achieve the later. He nodded as he made his decision.  
–We stay here tonight.  
Frisk turned to him, sparks in her eyes.  
–Really?  
“Really?!”  
Asriel ignored the angry voice echoing in his head and nodded.  
–Yes; it's like you said, we can use it, let’s go.  
He spent the next hour cleaning the bowling area the best he could while Frisk collected whatever materials she could find to blocks the windows and exits. Asriel was meticulous; he checked, blocked and sealed every entry and every hole, leaving only a side door at the back of the building they could use to escape in case they had unwanted visitors again. When he returned to the main floor, Frisk told him she had tried to search for food in the cafeteria but her search was unsuccessful, everything was clean.  
–I'll go explore the town tomorrow, see if I can get us something– He said. 

They curled on a small sofa Asriel pulled out of the empty stores, probably meant for clients. It was too narrow for the both of them to fit comfortably so Asriel let Frisk keep it (despite her arguments against it) while he sat on the floor with his back leaning against the couch. They didn't talk much this time, Asriel gave Frisk what was left of the berries he'd found that morning, insisting she keep them and then they both lay there in the darkness, as Asriel had made the fire balls disappear.

The young monster stared at the roof, not seeing anything in particular, his left hand tangled around Frisk's sleeping frame behind him. His mind was wandering, back to the last couple of days, no, the last fourteen years. Has it really been that long? Since He and Frisk, his adoptive sibling, had been forced to run from their home and hide? Since he made the decision of concealing his true identity? Frisk hadn't agree and even tried to convince him otherwise, but he refused. In his mind, it was the only way to keep people from asking questions he didn't want, nor had the courage to answer. He had failed to protect his family; he was a disgrace to his people, to himself, so he had adopted the name of “Ash", not very original and kind of ironic, but it worked. He hadn't used his real name in years.  
“Asriel Dreemur”  
He jumped, his eyes looking in the darkness even though he knew the voice was in his head.  
–Don’t call me that.  
“Why? Nobody's listening, and I hate that nickname you use”  
The young monster stood up, a terrible headache beginning to form; he shut his eyes closed before heading towards the nearest bathrooms, stumbling in his way.  
“Why are you acting like this?”  
–Because you're causing me a headache just....be quiet.  
When he reached the restroom, he waved a hand in a semi-circle and a big, bright fireball appeared on the ceiling. Asriel took a deep breath and placed both hands on the edge of the sink, eyes avoiding the broken, dusty mirror in front of him. He felt the entity tugging at his SOUL, like it was poking it, asking for attention. He sighed.  
–What? – He asked reluctantly.  
“You can't sleep again”  
–….No  
“I don’t blame you, this place sucks”  
–It’s the best we could find. And Frisk likes it  
“Come on, if you’re lucky a ghost will come out of the roof or something, there has to be something better in this place.”  
–You’re really not helping.  
The entity moved inside him and Asriel felt like it was staring at him, even from within him as he kept his gaze on the sink.  
“Helping you two it’s all I do…..don’t you remember?”  
Slowly, Asriel lifted his head to look at the mirror, the broken glass reflected an equal broken Asriel, but this time, as the monster looked, his image changed, his face seemed to disappear, leaving another familiar face in its place, with equal red eyes looking back at him. Now, instead of his reflection, Asriel was staring at the image of someone that had long vanished, but her presence never left.  
“I'm your best friend, am I?”  
Asriel looked at the face of a girl about the same age as Frisk, pale skin, small lips, long brown hair, though not as dark as Frisk's and big crimson eyes filled with an old hate of even older wounds. Asriel knew that what he was seeing was an illusion, but still it felt too real, he felt as if he could reach out to the girl and touch her. Instead his hands remained on each side of the sink in a tight grip.

–Chara.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AUTHOR’S NOTE: I'M BACK! Holy crap XDD Hey guys!   
> Ok so this is a really short chapter, way more than the others and my poor excuses are: Work, zero free time, more work, lack of inspiration and the fact that I didn't know If I was going to continue with this story; If you read my note then you know what I mean. I was really discouraged to keep writing but you guys helped me through that, thank you so much :D I really can't say this enough. I'm aware that there must be like hundreds of errors in this thing and for that I truly apologize, English is not my mother language…I really need an editor T.T
> 
> Well, I have no idea when will the next chapter be up, don't accept it anytime soon, I'm so sorry T.T but I still appreciate your reviews and comment, they help me a lot and keep me going.   
> Sooo yeah, thank you so much for reading and I'll see you soon!


	6. A Long Night

**Chapter Five**

**A long night**

The name tasted sweet on his lips, like a drug he hadn't try in a long time and it send a violent shiver down his spine, the room felt heavier, the silence crushing Asriel, his eyes never leaving the girl’s.

She smiled.

“ _Wao, I had forgotten how my name sounds like, is not like you have to say it often”_ She said, her voice echoing in Asriel’s mind. That's right, she wasn't really here, she was trapped inside him, her SOUL bonded to his. Her physical body had died a long time ago.

Asriel could still remember the day he found her. When he found Chara and Frisk outside the borders of his home, the Monster Kingdom, all those years ago.

_It had been a cloudy day, sunlight barely coming through. A young Asriel was picking up flowers for his mother on the borders of the Kingdom, always escorted by two of his father's Royal Guards, Dogami and Dogaressa. She helped him chose the most beautiful flowers while her husband watched lazily, is not that they had much to watch for; it had been decades since the last time the monsters had dealt with any threat. Asriel followed a small path of buttercups when his two guardians got distracted by a small butterfly flying around Dogami's head, getting deeper into the infinite large and dark forest that surrounded his home; the already dim sunlight was blocked by large branches as the boy walked and walked, immerse in his task. He crouched near a bush to collect a lily when he heard a sound coming from behind, near a stone path that lead directly to the castle. The path was narrow, cutting through the forest, so much that if one didn't know how to look for it could get easily lost. The young monster stopped, he turned his head to where it had come from, not sure of what to do, his hand half way to grab the small flower._

_The sound came again, followed by what Asriel thought was something heavy hitting the ground and a muffled mumble. Asriel stood completely still for a couple of seconds before heading towards the sound to investigate, vaguely aware his guardians were still distracted. He left the bouquet of flowers on the ground and, mustering all the courage he was capable of, the young prince gave a long step forward, pushing aside the bushes as he approached the path, coming face to face with what was on the other side._

_Asriel had never seen a human being in his life, nor did he had much knowledge about them; the only things he knew came from old history books in his father's giant library, and what other monsters told him about the long wars and conflicts. As far as he knew, humans were a weird species, didn't have much fond of monsters and preferred to be left alone. However, finding not only one but two humans on the dirty road that lead to his home wasn't what surprised Asriel the most, it was their appearance: they were dirty, clothes torn, faces covered in dust and dirt, dangerously thin, as if they hadn't eaten anything for entire weeks, eyes sunken with large eye bags, few cuts all over their legs and arms, shoes worn. It took longer than it should for the prince to recognize the two stumbling humans as little girls, maybe a year or two younger than him; pale skin, round faces, the girl on the right had short dark brown hair, with small fringes that fell around her face; the other one's covered her shoulders, right above her elbow, light brown threads covered in leaves. The girl with short hair dressed an oversized gray sweater and torn jeans while her friend wore a brown shirt with black pants_

_But what Asriel would never forget, was the look on the girl's faces: One of kindness, other of rage, one of hope and one of fury, but both with a fierce strength that reflected in their eyes, an uncrushable will._

_Determination._

_The instant they laid eyes on him, both girls jumped, startled; the one with long hair put herself in front of her friend, shielding her from Asriel, a defiant grunt leaving her lips, her crimson eyes filled with distrust, surprise, pain and underneath all, fear; a small knife glowed in her right hand, trembling between her fingers and sending a powerful wave of dread up the young monster's spine._

_"Wait! Please!" He said as he started making panicked noises and gestures, trying to keep as much distance between himself and the knife as possible. He didn't quite remember if humans spoke the same language as monsters but judging by the girl's expression, they could understand him, however the knife kept pointing directly at him, the crimson eyed girl mumbling something under her breath, her friend responding something equally inaudible. The three of them stood there, neither too sure of what to do, it was at that moment Asriel noted that the little human holding the weapon breathed with difficulty, tired gasps leaving her lips, as if was taking her a huge effort to simply move her chest and he didn't took long to figure out why: she was hurt, a small red circle covered her side and was growing bigger and bigger by the second; the girl with brown eyes knew it too, for she kept glancing at the injury and at her friend over and over, worry written all over her face. In an instant, Asriel's fear melted away. He lowered his hands._

_"Are you ok? You're hurt, it seems bad" He said carefully, taking an attentive step forward, the instant he did it the long haired girl try to threaten him with her knife but she was already too weak to fight, she fell on one knee, her breathing became more erratic, her face pale, lips stripped of all color. By her side, the short haired girl let out an anguished sound, leading against her friend, holding her shoulders, they said something to each other, again, too low for the young prince to hear it. A growing panic was rising inside his chest, this was wrong; he had to help these girls, but how? In that moment, two large brown eyes meet his; the little girl was ready to burst into tears, she looked at him with despair, opened her mouth and even though no sound came from her, Asriel could read her lips perfectly: help us._

_That was more than enough to yank Asriel from his own fear, he shook his head and with the bravest expression he could muster, he approached the two humans. His mother was going to have a panic attack._

_Asriel could still remember the expression on Dogamy and Dogaressa’s face, how quickly they were to carry the two girls back to the palace with him running to catch up, his eyes never leaving the girl with short brown hair, he also remembered the sound of the doors opening as he sprinted pass them, calling his parents. He would never forget the look on his mother’s eyes, how worried she seemed and how she along with his father and the two Royal Guards carried the humans to the infirmary, where they would spend the rest of the day and most of the following night, watching carefully as the nurse, a feline monster with glowing yellow eyes who didn't have an extent knowledge of human anatomy, swore to do his best. He worked silently on the little girl's wounds who by that time, had already passed out, while Asriel and his parents waited nervously. The King and Queen tried to talk to her friend, asking her how they had managed to get so far from human populations, what were their names or if they had any family, but they didn't have any luck, she just sat on the chair next to the bed where the girl rested, taking her hand between hers and without saying one word and cowering in fear every time someone tried to step closer to her. Finally, the King ordered the two humans to be left alone with the nurse and for bedrooms to be prepared for them, as well as food, water and clean clothes._

_Asriel was forced to leave the infirmary much to his dismay, he looked over his shoulder just as the doors closed to see two brown eyes staring back at him. Him and his parents walked through the long hallway, when the boy noticed something out of the corner of his eyes, his SOUL almost jumped out of his chest when he saw another monster emerge from behind an enormous column, as if he had materialized out of thin air, he stood there, hands behind his back, completely still._

_"Oh Doctor!” Said his mother approaching the mysterious person with a smile. Asriel instinctively hid behind his father's large cape. That monster always managed to make him nervous, despite his politeness and seemingly kind attitude; he had always been good to him and loyal to his parents, but despite that, there was just something about him that made Asriel wiry, especially those giant holes in his hands._

_"Your majesty” answered the monster with a bow, his voice low, hoarsely, it sent a shiver down his entire body._

_His mother quickly explained the situation to the newcomer while Asriel remained hidden, asking him for his assistance._

_"I'm sure the nurse will appreciate your knowledge on humans” said his father._

_Asriel dared to look from behind the long cloak and found the monster, impossibly tall and slim, smiling at the King, a pale, skeletal hand with a hole the size of his fist over his chest and his head bowed. Asriel shuddered._

_"Of course my King, I hope I can be of help, I'll begin immediately" he said and with that, he made his way pass them, his long black cloak moving behind him as if possessed life of its own._

_Asriel laid in his bed later, staring at the canopy, remembering the girls, the despair in their voice, the fear in their eyes, cloth torn, bloodied wounds, starving and lost. He had never seen such a horrible thing before._

_Asriel made a promise that night, a promise to do everything in his power to help them in whatever way he could, he would help them recover, find their home, wherever it may be, he never wanted to see that look in someone's eyes ever again._

The smile in the mirror before him brought him back from his memories. His hands were still on the edge of the sink, his grip so strong he was hurting himself.

 _"You kept that promise"_ she said in his mind. Asriel gave a sarcastic growl, shaking his head.

“That's bullshit and you know it” Asriel didn't like to curse in front of Frisk, but Chara was another matter, he knew she liked when he let his anger go loose like that. He felt her rolling her eyes at him.

_“You really suck at taking compliments you know that? I'm being serious”_

“I was responsible for the both of you. How did that turn out?”

Asriel felt her SOUL move back to the corner of his chest, if she had been there, in front of him, she would have avoided his gaze.

 _“How I wanted it to end"_ She said, her voice echoing in his mind. Asriel’s eyes widened, he kept staring at the broken mirror.

She didn't care...she _really_ didn't care about what happened, she didn't care she was dead, her SOUL tied to his for all eternity, her human body reduced to ashes, her life stripped away before it even began. Asriel felt sick, wondering how Chara had managed to keep those emotions hidden from him for so long, maybe it was an unconscious thing, maybe she wanted to protect him from the truth, but that just made him angrier and sad at the same time. How much darkness was Chara hiding? How could he not see it before?

“How can you say that?” He asked, his voice just a muffled whisper. “How can you even say you wanted this? After what happened... Did you really wanted to die? You wanted my moth-" He stopped, his SOUL and Chara's shaken by a wave of memories brought the mention of that person. Asriel let out an agonizing squeal, the air stuck in his throat. The memory sieged them both:

Two big, gentle hands covered in white fur caressing their heads

A warm smile, the smell of butterscotch pie

A sweet maternal voice telling them it was going to be ok

That same voice screaming in pain, begging them to leave as everything collapsed around them.

It was too much too soon. Asriel had to lean on the sink, his knees suddenly not being able to hold his body, he felt Chara moving erratically inside his chest. The young monster took several breaths, trying to calm them both; the flashbacks had been too abrupt, hitting them like a train. When Asriel was able to stand straight, Chara was still curling around his chest, her SOUL extremely agitated.

 _"I didn't want this. I didn't want her to die...she shouldn't have been there in the first place, none of you!"_ She screamed in his mind and for the first time in a really long time, Asriel felt her despair, her remorse like it was his own.

_“I had to do it by myself, you shouldn't have gotten involved!”_

"What then? You wanted to just go on your vengeance and die hoping that none of us would notice or care? Is that really what you thought would happen?" Asriel was getting angry again, the L.O.V.E thirst made it really difficult to control his temper, when Chara didn't answered, he growled.

“What did you want Chara? What DO you want?"

_"For you two to be safe, and happy"_

He almost lost it, he rose his fist and slammed it against the wall next to the mirror, the hit echoed through the bathroom, the ceramic cracked, pieces falling to the floor, a faint cloud of dust rose from the wall.

"I **was** happy! I was happy with you! With Frisk! You were safe, we were supposed to be together in this!” His voice cracked "But you couldn't put your hatred behind, you couldn't let it go. You pushed Frisk aside, you pushed me aside…I wanted nothing more than to make you happy”

_“Asriel…”_

“How could you choose vengeance instead of me?”

Chara's voice was cut off and she stopped moving. Silence grew between them until it was almost unbearable. Asriel closed his eyes and left the bathroom, the fireball dying behind him until darkness returned to the place. Chara didn't say anything. There was nothing to say, there was nothing she could possibly say.

 

Asriel was so clouded with anger and pain he didn't notice the shadow sitting at the end of the opposite hallway as he stormed out of the bathroom, watching him leave with sad eyes. Frisk was on the floor, back pressed against the wall, knees to her chest, arms around them and eyes closed, she felt the weight of the heart locket around her neck and somehow that made her feel worse; she opened her eyes, reaching for the locket, her fingers pressed a tiny switch and it opened. She couldn't see anything in the dark but she knew what was there: two pictures, one on each side; the first one, two human girls smiling, one had bright red eyes, the other had brown ones; on the other side, three monsters smiled for the camera, the first one a woman with a gentle smile, long ears and small horns, by her side, her husband had a shy expression on his face, his long beard and hair reaching his shoulders, the two horns above his head were so long they didn't fit in the frame. Their son stood between them, laughing, happy, his purple eyes shone with innocence and kindness.

Frisk pressed the locket close to her chest, eyes closed. She started to remember

 

_Her parents had died when she was just five years old, tragic accident, nothing anyone could do. Having no other family member, she was sent to a orphanage on an unfamiliar city; the idea of being adopted by a new family and having a new beginning somewhere else scared her at first, however she also desperately wanted to get rid of the pain in her chest, of the loneliness, of the memories of her parents. She wanted to feel happiness again, and when the bus driver dropped her on the front door of the gigantic building, when she saw all those children playing, laughing and smiling, she thought she could. Hope returned to her SOUL for a brief moment._

_She was wrong._

_She started to feel it in the way the children cowered in fear as the nuns walked past them, the way the adult's would look at them, the smiles on their faces and how the children would only seem to relax when they were outside, once they entered the building, all the joy disappeared._

_The first one came when she was walking down the main hall, looking for her room; the guard at the gate, a man with a permanent frown on his face, only told her to look for the door with her name and to leave him alone, so she went. The place was massive, with hundreds of rooms, with hallways that stretched to infinite, wide windows that let the sun shine inside, but even so, the orphanage seemed to carry a permanent darkness inside its walls. Frisk carried her back with her few belongings on her back, eyes looking everywhere; the children walked by her with heads down and eyes glued to the ground, carefully avoiding any adults on their way. A suspicious feeling started to crawl up her stomach when she crashed into something, the impact strong enough to send her to the ground. She rubbed her bottom trying to stop the increasing pain, her mouth in a painful grimace. Her eyes found the source of her pain: she had bumped into a small boy who had been carrying books and a tall glass of water, judging by the mess of papers and books around them and the water on the floor, the glass rolled and was caught by a sea of feet. Frisk felt the children around them give scared looks and speed up the pace, seemingly wanting to avoid the tall figure that has stopped in front of them. Frisk slowly looked up to meet the cold stare of a nun; her lips were sealed tight, forming an almost perfect line, large eye bags under her dark eyes, pale skin, bony nose and the coldest, hard gaze Frisk had ever seen, a horrible feeling settled on her stomach. The boy on the ground in front of her started trembling, his lips shaking, he began begging the nun for forgiveness, insisting it hadn't been his fault, Frisk was about to open her mouth when the nun raised her hand and slapped the boy across his face, the sound echoed through the hallway. Frisk stayed there, awestruck, eyes filled with confusion and horror; she felt the nun approach her and she tried to move, but her body wouldn't respond, she could only look up, watching as the pale hand descended towards her._

_That was lesson number one._

_Lesson number two came when she failed to make it to the dining room on time the next morning after she was forced out of bed by the sound of the giant bell on top of the highest tower of the building, the sound hammering in her head; the punishment came in the form of a whip across her back, two because she dared open her mouth and ask them to stop. Lessons number three was one of the worst and at the same time, the best. On the fourth week, Frisk had found a pile of notebooks in one of the closets the staff kept on the third floor, no one seemed to use them so she took one, along with a pencil from a small box, took them to her room and began to draw, mostly patterns and mandalas, it was the only peace she could find in that horrid place disguised as a home. She soon began to take the notebook everywhere she went, her drawings help her relax, help her escape her world and stopped the nightmares that plagued her at night._

_One day, during lunchtime, she was once again drawing curious patterns on when a shadow loomed over her; she felt the children cower around her and once again a shiver run up her neck, her hand stopping dead above the pages.  The tall figure of the pale nun she'd meet on her first day, the woman took a look at her drawings, then at her horror-stricken face._

_"What do you think you are doing?" the woman asked._

_Frisk trembled like a leave._

_"I-I'm drawing" She answered as calmly as she could._

_"And do you think now is the right time for that pointless activity?"_

_Frisk didn't answer, it was obvious she couldn't. The woman bends over and ripped the notebook from her hands, ignoring her pleas, watching It like it was some kind of annoying bug. Then, to Frisk´s horror, she tore one page apart._

_"You better save this hobby of yours to yourself young lady If I see this again where it doesn't belong, I will confiscate it" She said dropping the notebook hard on the table, splashing food and water over all the children nearby. Frisk´s eyes stung from the tears. Rage began emerging from her chest, her SOUL beating rapidly._

_"You would never understand what this means" She said the words before she could stop herself, and when they left her mouth, horror struck her. All the children's faces around the table went pale, except one. Before Frisk could speak again to apologize, the blow exploded across her face, the chair fell and she hit the ground hard, she saw white and felt blood on her lip. The tall woman said nothing, just turned heel and left, hundreds of eyes following her and then focusing on the young girl. No one dared to speak._

_Frisk stood up slowly, no longing bothering to hide her tears, or the blood on her lips, she´d long learned that that was the normal. She accommodated her chair and sat down, face down, hands turned to fits. Suddenly, something came into her view. She blinked away her tears and saw her notebook in front of her, it was wet and stained but otherwise intact, holded by a small hand filled with small cuts; Frisk followed it and found a pair of big, crimson eyes staring at her from across the table, light brown hair just above her shoulders, a skin so pale it was almost translucent and a stripe shirt. Frisk sniffed and took her book with both hands, murmuring a "thank you"_

_"The bitch doesn't know anything, don't listen to her" Said the girl, loud enough for the whole table to listen, all the children stared at her, some with fear, others with disbelief and others with a new found respect. Frisk just stared at her, dumbstruck, mouth open. The girl cleaned the leftovers on her side of the table and resumed eating like she didn't just committed what others would consider suicide._

_Frisk watched her for a full minute before reacting and nodding, trying to continue eating as well; the unknown girl glanced at her again._

_"Don´t let them see you hurt, or crying, never, it amuses them" She said, Frisk met her gaze._

_"Never give them the satisfaction of seeing you hurt, you can´t be weak in this stupid place kid" The girl said, hatred and bitterness in her voice, she stabbed a potato and swallowed in a single bite. Frisk looked at her for a moment, then a smiled appeared on her lip, it hurt, but she paid it no mind, the girl coughed a couple of times, hitting her chest, Frisk took her plastic cup and handed it to her, she eyed her with suspicion for only a second before accepting it._

_"And stop being so nice, it´s going to get you more trouble" She added like a mother scolding her child. Frisk nodded, still smiling and they kept eating, feeling a little more relaxed that she´d felt in weeks._

Frisk sighed, opening her eyes, staring at the blackness before her. Has it really been so long? Over 15 years since her parents died, since she arrived at that torture chamber they called orphanage, since she lost the sister she had chosen. Felt like a lifetime ago.

Did Chara missed her as well? It wasn't like they could talk like before, Asriel rarely talked about how she was doing, even though Frisk knew they whispered at each other all the time, sharing a bond that no one else could understand. Not for the first time, Frisk felt a sting of jealousy, and immediately after, guilt. How could she think like that after all that happened? Asriel hadn't chosen that path, Chara hadn't chosen that path (maybe), she couldn't possibly be jealous of something that was born out of tragedy. But still, she'd always felt relieved that Chara, in spite of not being here physically, hadn't really left, she was there, with Asriel, until the day he died, and that gave her peace. Frisk got up, she should look for Asriel, she will ask him about Chara, after both had calmed down from their argument, she would probably have to do something about it, Asriel seemed really angry. Frisk hid the locket inside her cloth, cleaned the dust from her pants and walked into the darkness.

 

///

 

The voices drown him, they were so loud he thought his skull would explode, they all say the same thing, over and over. His name.

The skeleton monster woke up, a gasp leaving his mouth, his eyes wide open with fear. He was laying in his bed, crumpled sheets under his closed phalanges, arms wide open by his side. His entire frame shake as he rolled to his side, desperately searching for something on his nightstand, when he found it, he stood up, put one cigarette between his lips as trembling bones pressed the lighter. A small spark illuminated his face as the scent filled the room. The monster gave a long, frantic puff, then released a large cloud of smoke; he repeated the process a couple of times until his SOUL stopped hammering his ribs and the anxiety died, next, he walked out the room, lighter in hand, cigarette in lips and his other hand on his skull.

The apartment was quiet, the dark, floor-level curtains were drawn to the side, showing an incredible view of the city below, he walked towards the balcony, feeling the chilly air on his ribs and arms, the rest of his body covered in a simple black short. Stupid nightmare. Never leaving him alone, was this the third one this week? The fourth one? He didn't know, he only knew how pissed off they made him feel. How empty. He looked down at his right radius; there, a leather bracelet hung absently, it had metal symbols embedded in it that glistened in the dark; for most people, they were meaningless scribbles, for him, they meant everything, the last bit of memory of a life long gone. The monster read the inscription.

_Don't Forget_

He closed his phalanges in a fist, closed his eyes and pressed the bracelet to his skull, feeling its warm.

"I could never forget" he mumbled.

"Gabe?”

The voice came from behind, merely a whisper, the monster turned to see a taller skeleton approach him. His bones were just a little thinner than his, his skull was large, with a powerful jaw and a white set of teeth; he was wearing a black pajama with a white stripe at both sides; his eyes, bright orange, stared at him with worry.

"Are you ok?"

"It's fine Pap, I'm ok"

"...Another nightmare?"

"Yes, I got it controlled, don't worry"

The skeleton didn't believe him, but he knew better than to push too much when it came to this subject, he knew his brother didn't like to discuss his dreams.

“Very well” He said.

The young skeleton looked at him, cigarette in hand.

“What are you doing up Pap? I didn’t wake you didn’t I?”

The older one smiled.

“No, it’s my time to get up, remember?” He said pointing at the clock that hang from one of the walls in the living room. Gabe looked and saw the time; four in the morning. He gave a tired whistle.

"Your boss should relax sometimes; what kind of restaurant has to be open at 6:00 am sharp? And why are you the one who has to get up this early?" Gabe asked.

"Is not just me brother you know that, and besides there is a lot of work to do, my boss wants everything to be perfect, every time.”

Gabe raised an invisible eyebrow at his brother.

"I say he's going to give himself heart attack one of this days"

Papyrus laughed lightly.

"Well, some of us like to work hard brother”

“Yeah, I can see that, but just don’t let them take advantage of you”

“No one is brother, I just love what I do” Papyrus shrugged, turned around and made his way to the bathroom. Gabe watched him leave then turned to the sight before him, the wind kept blowing. It was too late to try and get back to sleep, even if he tried, he knew he couldn't, may as well follow his brother and get ready.

Another day was close.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You thought I was dead didn’t youuuu?... Well, me too, almost, but HERE I AM! Can’t blame you if you hate me though T.T So much has happened in the last couple of months but I didn’t want to quit this story, I’ll keep going as long as I can.
> 
> I'm really not completely satisfied with the name I came u for my version of G!Sans, but If I just sat there and wait for a proper name to come to me, I would have never start this thing, so here you go, lame ass name

**Author's Note:**

> Hello, and thank you so much for taking the time to read this story I've been working on for over a year, I really hope you like it. I'll be posting updates once a month so until then, see ya later :)


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